MOLE OR NOT, BUT HERE'S ANOTHER HOLE IN THE MEDIA COVERAGE
Mailed to us by Minguel Braganza
PREETU NAIR'S RESPONSE
Dear Minguel Braganza,
I apologize to you for this unsolicited, late reply to your mail which was send to one and sundry, except the person whom you criticized. If I was not informed by few well-wishers, then I would probably have never known of your mail or the postings in the blog Pen pricks.
At the outset, I would like to thank you for your remarkable observations and comments that you made as a reader. However, towards the end I felt that the letter was more of a personal attack, rather than the comments of a serious reader.
I am shocked that now that I have left Gomantak Times and joined TOI for better career prospects, you are criticizing me for "sexing up" reports a la USA's embedded journos at GT and alleging that I am doing the same in TOI. I am surprised and shocked with your sudden
realization. But don't you think the realization has come a bit late, for I think you were very much in the scene when I was "sexing up" reports for GT. Why didn't you criticize me then or decide to complain against me to the Press Council of India? You didn't even complain
when I exposed (probably for you "sexed up") the Mandar murder in GT.
Were you silent because you are also a writer/columnist in GT?
Let me make it clear that I don't have the arrogance or the temperament to criticize or fool the readers. I am not foolish to believe that the Indian newspaper readers are naïve. Fortunately,
readers are quick to realize that much of what goes on in the tourist paradise of Goa goes unreported because a few local journos and their editors play host to the corrupt system.
Thank you,
Regards
Preetu Nair
MIGUEL RESPONDS TO PREETU'S RESPONSE
Second autopsy confirms Scarlett’s rape, murder NT Staff Reporter
Panaji, March 8 The report of the second autopsy on the body of Scarlett Eden Keeling, the 15-year-old British girl who was found dead on Anjuna beach on February 18 has confirmed the findings of the supplementary report of the first autopsy, which had indicated that the girl died of homicidal drowning which was preceded by rape, according to sources in the Goa Medical College and Hospital.
The second autopsy was conducted today at the GMC by a team of doctors headed by Dr Edmund Rodrigues (associate professor of forensic medicine). The autopsy, which began in the morning, was completed in the evening.
The report was presented to the police late in the night, the North Goa superintendent of police, Mr Bosco George acknowledged its receipt.
........................................
Dears,
The second Inquest Panchanama was conducted by Deputy Collector Mahesh Khorjuemkar on Friday, 07 March afternoon and the body of Scarlett Keeling was handed over to the Forenseic Dept of GMC for the SECOND autopsy late in the evening. No 2nd autopsy of Scarlett was conducted till midnight on Friday. The autopsy began at 09.30 A.M. on SATURDAY 08 March, 2008 and took almost six hours to complete. That is the TRUTH.
The Times of India on Saturday 08 March reported the second autopsy on page 8, Columns 7 & 8 with a heading that said it all [WRONG]: "2nd autopsy done on Briton in Goa". Datelined "Panaji" [on 07 March, obviously for a Saturday morning newspaper], the report begins with the words "A second autopsy was conducted on FRIDAY on the body of the British teenager, Scarlette Eden Keeling..." Did that have anything to do with a possible "leak" of the so-called "final" report of the first autopsy that emerged on Shivratri holiday? As the NT report above clearly states, the truth is that the 2nd autopsy was conducted on Saturday. The dates of the autopsy can also be obtained from the GMC, under RTI, if needed.
On Thursday, a report in the TOI with a by-liine to the ex-GT journo prone to "sexing up" reports a la USA's embedded journos, stated that the second autopsy was done on TUESDAY. One must believe that the Goan reader is Preety Naive to swallow all that. On Monday, 10 March, 2008 another front page report on TOI [Mumbai edtion] by Preetu Nair wants us to believe that the second autopsy has ruled ot "drowning"! Is this a sign of our TIMES?
Perhaps, the Press Council of India will have an opinion about journos making [up] news instead of simply doing their job .... of reporting it, when it happens.
PREETU NAIR'S RESPONSE
Dear Minguel Braganza,
I apologize to you for this unsolicited, late reply to your mail which was send to one and sundry, except the person whom you criticized. If I was not informed by few well-wishers, then I would probably have never known of your mail or the postings in the blog Pen pricks.
At the outset, I would like to thank you for your remarkable observations and comments that you made as a reader. However, towards the end I felt that the letter was more of a personal attack, rather than the comments of a serious reader.
I am shocked that now that I have left Gomantak Times and joined TOI for better career prospects, you are criticizing me for "sexing up" reports a la USA's embedded journos at GT and alleging that I am doing the same in TOI. I am surprised and shocked with your sudden
realization. But don't you think the realization has come a bit late, for I think you were very much in the scene when I was "sexing up" reports for GT. Why didn't you criticize me then or decide to complain against me to the Press Council of India? You didn't even complain
when I exposed (probably for you "sexed up") the Mandar murder in GT.
Were you silent because you are also a writer/columnist in GT?
Let me make it clear that I don't have the arrogance or the temperament to criticize or fool the readers. I am not foolish to believe that the Indian newspaper readers are naïve. Fortunately,
readers are quick to realize that much of what goes on in the tourist paradise of Goa goes unreported because a few local journos and their editors play host to the corrupt system.
Thank you,
Regards
Preetu Nair
MIGUEL RESPONDS TO PREETU'S RESPONSE
Dear Preetu,
You stick to the TRUTH and I will have no issues with you ...even in the improbable event that you become a Bureau Chief in the TIME or NEWSWEEK. This is not about petty jealousy. I am not a career journalist.
When you are WRONG, admit it, apologise and we can move on. I hold no grudges if the other poerson does not persist in the wrong. You did report wrongly about the second autopsy of Scarlett on Thursday last and again on Monday, 10 March, 2008. Or please quote your source that says the second autopsy was done on TUESDAY.
If you have not already noticed, I spell my name without an "N" as MIGUEL, which is the correct Portuguese spelling. As is your wont, you do not pay attention to details. It shows.
Perhaps, you are also not aware that the list "Mailing list for journalists of Goa (India), in Goa, and who worked in Goa...." <goajourno@puggy.symonds.net>, packed up a few months ago. Check it out with Frederick.
Oh yes! I have complained to the GT editor about your "sexing up" of issues and not just in the Mandar case. I have also not hidden the fact that one of the accused in the Mandar murder case is my nephew. My letter to the Editor was front paged in the GT ..... while you were employed there. The truth does not frighten the honest.
I do not write a column in the GT for a living. I do not think I am duty bound NOT to criticise it. I have ...right from its insensitive handling of the Pratima Gaokar case. I have written a weekly column for the GT Weekender from 1992 to 1996, when you were possibly learning to write with a pencil.
The first case that comes to my mind is the report on the death of a person in Bicholim. The GT Weekender had carried TWO reports, one by you and the other by Reema Kamat in the same issue ...with glaring differences in the approach, specially about truth and the sensitivity to other people's feelings, which you have not. It showed even then. I had even once told Paul Fernandes, also from GT and now in TOI, that you should not expect kindness from me if I ever caught you on the wrong foot. You can check with him. Do unto others what you can expect others to do unto you!
It is not my fault if the "Moderator" of Goajourno refused to carry my posting so that you would have access to it. I have marked a copy to the TOI, your current employer, and I am sure it would have notified you. In any case, there was no chance of you not knowing about my email: Journos are compulsive gossips about such juicy things about their colleagues.
Preetu, you wrote, "much of what goes on in the tourist
paradise of Goa goes unreported because a few local journos and theireditors play host to the corrupt system." I will let the "working journalists" and editors, especially the Editor of NT and GT [your former employers], to reply to that accusation. Coming from an "insider" like you, it is a serious allegation , indeed.
Preetu dear, you wrote, "Let me make it clear that I don't have the arrogance or the temperament to criticize or fool the readers. I am not foolish to believe that the Indian newspaper readers are naïve." If you really believe that, let your reports prove it convincingly ...in the future, at least.
Mog asundi.
Miguel
posted by Pen Pricks at
01:13
9 Comments:
Preetu Nair had also messed up the story of the Saleli murder case.
She has probably read some British India history and believes that in Goa too there are 'Zamindars' owning acres upon acres of land and the wokers are homeless, starving 'Harijans'.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
There was no 'uprising'. She tried to convince us that there were mitigating circumstances. In a way she tried to justify Mr. Rane's brutal murder.
I live in a residence where material from a quary has been used. Does she mean to say that I have blood on my hands too?
BTW the licence to operate the stone crushers was issued by the BJP government. Hence their attempt at political one upmanship is a farce.
Hey Minguel Braganza tell us about other murder cases too.
What is the outcome of another minor's case, namely Mandar Surlakar. His murders still aren't hanging.
Do you believe that murders convicted by the supreme court and mercy petition rejected by President, should hang?
How many decades or perhaps centuries should a trial take?
MORE EDITORIAL ATROCITIES FROM THE TIMES GROUP
Times Group continues to overvalue the Rupee.
As a follow-up to your earlier piece on ToI, here's ET, its business paper, doing the same thing. It says that a plane costing $80 million is worth Rs240 crore, which means the dollar is worth Rs30, instead of Rs40 (its present approx value). Actually $80 million is worth about Rs320 crore. Any schoolchild that knows their eight-times tables can work that out. But, apparently not ET!
Check out the page at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Transportation/Airlines__Aviation/Five_Indian_buyers_for_Aerions_supersonic_biz_jets/articleshow/2856556.cms
Five Indian buyers for Aerion's supersonic biz jets
12 Mar, 2008, 0145 hrs IST, TNN
MUMBAI: High flying business czars, who are used to flying their own aircraft, will soon have the option of going supersonic. Aerion, an American aircraft manufacturer, is developing a supersonic business jet, to enter service by 2014.
Though flight is still six years away, the Reno, Nevada-based company has already bagged orders from five Indian customers. The aircraft, which seats 8 to 12 people, is being priced at $80 million (about Rs 240 crore).
Elaborating on the features, Aerion’s group executive director Peter Smales said, “a Mumbai-Singapore trip which normally takes around five hours, can be made in three hours on the SSBJ (supersonic business jet). Customers can take positions by paying an initial deposit of $250,000,” he said. Aerion has managed to sell over 20 aircraft, but Mr Smales refused to name the customers.
Commenting on the difference between the technology used on the Concorde and for the new SSBJ, he said, the Concorde was an aircraft of the 1970s and technology has changed substantially since.
The new aircraft will be made of composites, that are substantially lighter than Aluminium. It also has a radical patented wing design that is much more efficient compared to the Concorde’s delta wing, he said. Two other aircraft manufacturers Gulfstream and SAI are also working on supersonic aircraft projects.
The sound pollution while breaking the sound barrier is an issue with supersonic aircraft, but Mr Smales said the plane would be very efficient at speeds of Mach 0.92 to 0.97. The maximum speed offered by business jets now is about 0.92 Mach (which is 92% the speed of sound).
Aerion is trying to market the supersonic jet in India mainly attracted by the huge growth in demand for biz-jets in the past two years. A large number of medium sized businessmen have begun taking deliveries of corporate jets.
Anon 12 March 2008 13:33
It goes to prove that highly paid journos make mistakes too.
These high earners are pre disposed to committing sins just like any other human.
Miguel, needs a tap on the back for comming out in the open. I do think it was time some one did pull up Preetu, for her distorted yellow journalism that she does. No personal grudge Preetu. Sometimes, one wonders does she write for sensation or to give the readers news. Thankyou Miguel, you accurately pointed out her flaws. Rightly said.
the goajourno mailing list is very much alive and kicking. No it is not kicking anyone on his/her groin like in some kind of a gladiatorial akhada because everyone seems to have become sleepy like after having partaken of a a glass of pre-prandial beer.
check out goajourno in www.googlegroups.com
sk
He, He, He. Providence has finally caught up with Preetu. But seeing Preetu defend herself seems more like seeing a sadhu stretching his loincloth to make a dhoti. Preetu the 'activist', 'female voice' writer tied up with this rogue NGO called ARZ in Baina not very long ago. The NGO's head Arunendra 'Arun' Pandey was a terror in Baina's red light district who would extort money from the pimps & prostitutes and at an opportune time catch, book the wrongful confinement of a 'minor' prostitute (Read: when the Guardian wouldn't pay up). Preetu tied up with this interesting gent and his aide Zareena and bring to light 'wrongful confinement & exploitation of women'. What hundreds of trips to women's commission & CRG couldn't do to Preetu ARZ did for her.
Sad. You should have pursued that Fellowship in Gujarat or States, Whatever.
Last anon: I heard that ARZ had started "Swift Wash" (mechanised) for the 'rehabilitated women'.
Some large hotels have their laundry done there.
Till U pointed out I didn't know the other side of this NGO.
I don't have a good impression of NGOs. They are there to further their own ends. They get paid by the govt., so there is a vested intrest to see that the problem isn't solved and hence they continue to exist and earn.
Their fancy talk is just that, 'talk'.
Would have written more, but there are some bozos appearing on this NDTV debate. Ashwin Tombat's there.
I can say right now that their debate will be inconclusive.
Sorry for the delayed response. Just saw the comments on Arz.
We are not really surprised by the observation of the anonymous “writer”. During our working in Baina for the last 12 years we have found that many persons who have been the direct or indirect beneficiaries of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation in Baina have made such allegations. We have experienced that when ever their interest got harmed due to our action they in their frustration made such baseless allegations but never had the courage to make a complaint to the police or to the concerned authority. Some of these persons include the so called “respected people” of Goa who have been supporting, perpetuating and benefiting from the commercial sexual activities in Baina.
Arz does not require a certificate from such people. Our beneficiaries are the best judge of our work.
It would really help us in throwing light on the writer and/or his/her family’s involvement in the prostitution business in Baina if the writer informs us his/her details.
Regards,
Arun
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