In India, it is not unusual for Bahubali politicians to get their rival candidates to withdraw their nomination from elections, either threatening with dire consequences or inducing with generous payments. A similar but bizarre incident has happened at the Press Club of India, where someone forged the signature of a journalist to fraudulently withdraw the nomination of that journalist from the elections for the office-bearers of the body. In the shocking incident, the signature of journalist Pallavi Ghosh was forged on a nomination withdrawal form, which was submitted at the Press Club to remove her for the ongoing elections.
The senior editor at CNN News 18 is contesting for the post of Vice President at the Press Club of India. Pallavi Ghosh contesting from the panel of journalist Sanjay Basak, Chief of Bureau at The Asian Age, who is contesting for the post of president of Press Club of India.
The incident was confirmed by Basak who wrote to the Election Commission of the Press Club of India, requesting them to preserve the CCTV footage, the envelope containing the letter and the forged letter, as they intend to file a police complaint on the issue. He said that this evidence will help in the investigation.
Three other journalists have also filed an application with the Chief Election Officer of the Press Club of India, demanding probe into allegations that Pallavi Ghosh’s signature was forged to fraudulently withdraw her nomination from the elections. Chandra Shekhar Luthra, Vinay Kumar and Umakant Lakhera, signed the application demanding an impartial, in-depth and thorough enquiry into the matter. Among them, Vinay Kumar and Umakant Lakhera are contestants for the post of President.
It may be noted that while her candidature for the post of Vice President of Press Club of India is witnessing high drama in Delhi, Pallavi Ghosh is currently away in West Bengal covering the assembly elections in the state.
At present, it is difficult to assume who may have tried to remove Pallavi Ghosh from the contest. But it is certain that there are sections in the Press Club of India that do not want her as the vice president of the organisation.
