A recent CCTV footage circulating on several news channels, showing a Congress leader and Babulal Marandi, has sparked controversy. The video, recorded on December 10, 2025, around 11 AM within the busy Jharkhand Assembly premises, has been subject to what the Congress leader describes as a ‘false and misleading narrative’ by certain media outlets. The footage captures a routine interaction at a frequently used gate of the assembly, a public area with regular presence of legislators, media, and administrative staff.
The Congress leader expressed deep distress over the attempts to tarnish their image based on this footage without hearing their side of the story. They emphasized that misrepresenting facts and broadcasting news on incomplete information is unjustifiable. Refuting the claim that a pen drive was exchanged, the leader stated that the interaction was a discussion about a news report published in a newspaper. This report was a matter the leader intended to raise in the assembly, but Marandi had already brought it up. The subsequent conversation occurred by chance as the leader was exiting the assembly through the same gate used by most MLAs.
Highlighting the public nature of the location, the leader pointed out that the exchange happened in broad daylight in a public corridor filled with MLAs, media, and staff, all under constant CCTV surveillance. The leader’s hands were occupied with a mobile phone and a newspaper, along with a handkerchief, making the alleged ‘pen drive handover’ improbable.
The leader questioned the logic behind conducting any illicit activity in such a public, monitored space, stating it defies common sense. They urged viewers to examine the footage carefully and discern whether a transaction or a discussion took place. This entire episode is seen as a deliberate conspiracy by a specific lobby that has allegedly been trying to impede and defame the leader since they joined Congress. This same group is accused of prior attempts to destabilize the party and obstruct mergers. The leader concluded by asserting their unwavering commitment to raising public interest issues, regardless of any inconvenience it causes to others.