‘I stick to my story, never said I hate Hindus’
Barun Kashyap, the film executive who sparked a controversy after claiming that he was harassed by an auto driver over his leather bag, stuck to his story on Friday and alleged the police had cooked up his confession, in which he appeared to be backtracking.
The 24-year-old also said he never made a statement to the police that he hated Hindus.
“I read newspaper reports about my hatred towards Hindus only after I got out from jail on Friday. The reports were referring to a confessional statement I never made. The whole story is a figment of imagination of some cops,” Kashyap told Mirror after he was let out on bail.
Mirror had on Thursday reported Kashyap’s alleged confession – after accessing a police copy – which said his intention was to play victim to gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) and disrupt communal harmony in Mumbai and across the country.
The police had also raised doubts about political motives behind Kashyap’s allegations as he had made visits to AAP member Priti Sharma Menon’s house.
Maintaining that the events leading up to the controversy happened exactly as he had stated on Facebook, Kashyap he shared the post because he did not want anyone else to be targeted in a similar manner.
“My conscience was clear and that is why I even approached the DN Nagar police to file the complaint,” said Kashyap.
‘No political motive to story’
Meanwhile, Menon dismissed police claims of political influence driving Kashyap’s allegations, saying that he visited her home only to seek legal advice.
“Police is trying to spoil my image. Unlike their claim that he stayed for two days at my place, I have CCTV footage which clearly shows that he left my home after his visits on Sunday and Monday,” said Menon.
“I was helping him with the case as he was not an absconder at that time. I was not doing anything wrong,” she added.
The AAP activist claimed that the police’s new narrative was a result of "one police officer trying to gain brownie points in the eyes of a ruling party". While the complaint filed by Kashyap at DN Nagar police on August 19 claimed that he boarded an auto for his office at around 11am from his Andheri home, investigation found the film executive left home at 1 pm and the entire commute took just nine minutes.
The 24-year-old also said he never made a statement to the police that he hated Hindus.
“I read newspaper reports about my hatred towards Hindus only after I got out from jail on Friday. The reports were referring to a confessional statement I never made. The whole story is a figment of imagination of some cops,” Kashyap told Mirror after he was let out on bail.
“I am a born Hindu and the reports were just disturbing to read. During my nine day stay in jail, I even went on a hunger strike to protest against the police injustice in this case."
Mirror had on Thursday reported Kashyap’s alleged confession – after accessing a police copy – which said his intention was to play victim to gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) and disrupt communal harmony in Mumbai and across the country.
The police had also raised doubts about political motives behind Kashyap’s allegations as he had made visits to AAP member Priti Sharma Menon’s house.
Maintaining that the events leading up to the controversy happened exactly as he had stated on Facebook, Kashyap he shared the post because he did not want anyone else to be targeted in a similar manner.
“My conscience was clear and that is why I even approached the DN Nagar police to file the complaint,” said Kashyap.
‘No political motive to story’
Meanwhile, Menon dismissed police claims of political influence driving Kashyap’s allegations, saying that he visited her home only to seek legal advice.
“Police is trying to spoil my image. Unlike their claim that he stayed for two days at my place, I have CCTV footage which clearly shows that he left my home after his visits on Sunday and Monday,” said Menon.
“I was helping him with the case as he was not an absconder at that time. I was not doing anything wrong,” she added.
The AAP activist claimed that the police’s new narrative was a result of "one police officer trying to gain brownie points in the eyes of a ruling party". While the complaint filed by Kashyap at DN Nagar police on August 19 claimed that he boarded an auto for his office at around 11am from his Andheri home, investigation found the film executive left home at 1 pm and the entire commute took just nine minutes.
