Leh journalists level bribery charge at BJP leaders .... Ladakh is witnessing a four-way contest Video emerges, Leh journalist bribe plot thickens ...Video footage shows politicians handing over alleged cash packets to journalists

Muzaffar Raina, TT, 8 May 2019, Srinagar: Video footage emerged on Tuesday purportedly showing politicians handing over alleged cash packets to journalists in Leh ahead of the May 6 elections to the Ladakh parliamentary seat.

The footage, linked to an alleged attempt in a hotel in May to influence coverage ahead of the election, became public a day after the state BJP president had threatened to file a defamation case against reporters who had complained of attempts to bribe them.

“I seek written apology from the Press Club Leh within next 48 hours for the false propaganda,” Ravinder Raina wrote in a letter.

The Press Club in Leh had complained to the Election Commission that some BJP leaders tried to bribe reporters after Raina had addressed a media conference.

The footage shows a person resembling BJP chief Raina chatting and shaking hands with journalists while his colleague hands over the envelopes to reporters. One reporter is seen opening the envelope and immediately returning it to a BJP leader, who does not take it back. The woman drops it on the table next to him.

Press Club member Rinchen Angmo had earlier told this newspaper she had returned the envelope to the BJP leader after she found there was cash in it.

On Tuesday, BJP legislative council member Vikram Randhawa told The Telegraph the “envelopes” he was seen handing over to reporters contained only invitation cards for a Union minister’s rally.

“There is some politics in it…. We were only inviting them for the next day’s (Saturday’s) function. After the event they (the reporters) all had a lavish lunch with us,” Randhawa added.

But Leh Press Club president Morup Stanzin said the envelopes were packed with Rs 500 notes and the reporters were told it was a “token of love”.

“There was nothing but cash in it,” he said. The footage, he added, “appears to be genuine”.

Leh police chief Sargun Shukla said the footage had been sent to a court. The police, she added, can lodge an FIR only after the court directs so.

TT: The Press Club in Leh has complained to the Election Commission that BJP leaders tried to bribe reporters for favourable coverage ahead of Monday’s Lok Sabha election in the Ladakh constituency.

The Press Club in Leh has lodged complaints with district election officer Anvy Lavasa as well as the police.

“Yes, I have (received a complaint). We are doing a summary inquiry and, if required, will file a police complaint,” Lavasa, who is Leh’s deputy commissioner, told The Telegraph.

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“It is a non-cognisable offence and it (the FIR) has to be filed through a court.”

Ladakh is witnessing a four-way contest between the BJP’s Tsering Namgyal, who is chief executive councillor of the Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council; Congress candidate Rigzin Saplbar; Independent Sajjad Hussain, who is supported by the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party; and Congress rebel Asgar Ali Karbalai.

Muslims enjoy a slender majority in Ladakh but both the Congress and the BJP have fielded Buddhist candidates. Karbalai is believed to be a proxy Congress candidate, tasked to divide the Mulsim vote which could otherwise have consolidated behind Hussain, a journalist turned politician.

The BJP had achieved its maiden victory in Ladakh in 2014, defeating the Congress candidate by a mere 36 votes.

Leh Press Club sources said the journalists' body has lodged a police complaint and said no action has been taken so far.

According to the police complaint, the incident happened on Thursday at hotel Singay Palace in Leh after state BJP president Ravinder Raina addressed a news conference.

“After the press conference was over, BJP leaders including state president Ravinder Raina and MLC Vikram Randhawa tried to bribe the media persons by offering us money in envelopes in an attempt to use our platform to influence the outcome of elections,” the complaint reads.

“We didn’t accept the offer and rejected it out rightly (sic) and we showed our anguish at their attempt.”

Rinchen Angmo, a member of the Press Club in Leh,  told this newspaper that a senior BJP leader had handed over envelopes to four journalists, including her, in front of Raina and the others present inside the hall. The leader urged them not to open the envelopes there, she said.

“I got suspicious and opened it. I found a lot of Rs 500 notes inside. I returned it to him but he refused, after which I put it (the envelope) on the table,” she said.

Sunil Sethi, chief spokesperson for the state BJP, denied the allegation. “We don’t believe in bribing anybody. We hold journalists in high esteem. The BJP has never done it and will never do it,” he said.

Angmo is one of seven signatories to the complaint. The others are Morup Stanzin, Tsering Rigzin, Tashi Landup, Stanzin Desal, Tsewang Paldan and Stanstrung Dorjey.