Fake TV sting: School teacher questioned

A day after she was released on bail, Delhi Police on Tuesday questioned school teacher Uma Khurana in connection with a TV sting in an alleged sex racket.

"Khurana joined investigations. We asked her to appear before us to clarify certain things. We will be seeking clarifications about the conversations between her and reporter Prakash Singh," a senior Crime Branch official said.

Asked why she was being questioned after the Delhi High court granted her bail, he said, "Since the case was transferred to the crime branch she had been in judicial custody and we have not been able to speak with her."

The police also plan to bring her face to face with the reporter who carried out the sting operation.

Khurana's lawyer K K Sharma, who was present at the crime branch office in R K Puram, said they had asked for a few days time before the questioning began, but the police called asked her to report on Tuesday.

Granting her bail, the Delhi High Court had on Monday observed that she was 'more of a victim than an offender.'

Reporter sent to police custody:

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Alok Aggarwal sent the reporter who carried out the sting operation to police custody till September 13 for further investigation into the case.

The Additional Public Prosecutor sought two days police remand stating that they have to confront Singh with Khurana as certain material have come on record during the investigation. It will be incomplete without confrontation of both the accused persons, he said.

Opposing the police remand, Murari Tiwari, counsel for Prakash Singh, submitted that the prosecution implanted certain evidence against him. No new fact came on record after his arrest, he contended.      

"We are indeed co-operating with the investigating agency so there is no need for taking him into police custody," Tiwari argued.

Crime Branch had arrested Singh on September 7 and booked him under various sections of Indian Penal Code, including those relating to cheating and criminal conspiracy.      

The Delhi High Court also issued notices to the city government and police after taking suo motu cognizance of media reports that the sting operation was fake and distorted.

The TV sting had resulted in large-scale violence outside a school in Old Delhi where Khurana worked and prompted the Delhi government to first suspend her and then terminate her services.