Azad-Heptulla 'morphed' photo: CBI to file report in two days

NEW DELHI: CBI today informed the Delhi High Court that it will file its status report within two days on a plea seeking a probe into alleged morphing of a photo of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Najma Heptulla in a book published on the country's first Education Minister.

A bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru granted time till December 19 to the probe agency whose counsel pleaded that they be given two more days to file the report as the same was pending for approval from the competent authority.

The court also directed CBI to specifically answer all the queries raised by the petitioner, Azad's grandnephew Firoz Bakht Ahmed who alleged that the morphing was done at the instance of Heptulla when she was heading Indian Council for Cultural Relations ( ICCR).

The controversial photograph showing Azad seating with Heptulla after her graduation was published in ICCR publication titled "Journey of a Legend, on the life of India's first Education Minister". The publication was later withdrawn by ICCR.

The petitioner had alleged that the photograph is morphed as Heptulla had graduated in May, 1958 whereas Azad died on February 22, 1958 and pleaded with the court for a CBI inquiry in the controversy.

Earlier, the high court had said another bench of HC has already passed the order directing CBI to probe the allegations and bring the same to a logical conclusion as expeditiously as possible. "Why don't you (CBI) put that order in place?" the judge had said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, had informed the court that on July 5, 2006 it had directed the probe agency to continue the investigation with respect to the allegations made and bring the same to a logical conclusion.