New Delhi/Guwahati: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) joins its affiliate, Journalists Union of Assam (JUA) in condemning the arrest of Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, Chief Reporter of digital media portal, The CrossCurrent and Assistant Secretary of Guwahati Press Club by the Assam police on Tuesday night, following his covering a demonstration against alleged corruption within Assam Co-operative Apex Bank Ltd. The next day journalists in Guwahati and JUA led a protest at the Press Club, then in front of police station and court premises demanding his unconditional release. He was granted bail later in the evening.
According to the police, Mozumdar was arrested following filing of two FIRs against him. One for alleged criminal intimidation and violation of provisions of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for “offensive remarks” under section 351 of Bharatiya Nayaya Sanhita, after a complaint by the bank’s security guard Sishul Boro at Panbazar Police Station. The other was filed by Managing Director Dambaru Saikia who claimed Mozumder ‘unlawfully entered the 1st floor of the headquarters and attempted to steal valuable bank documents. And when an alarm was raised, he fled.”
However, according to The CrossCurrent, Mozumdar had gone to the bank premises to cover the protest by Jatiya Yuva Shakti, as he has in the past written about alleged irregularities in the bank, in which Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma is Director and BJP MLA Biswajit Phukan its chairman. ‘That day, he had approached the MD to get his comments about the allegations and was called upstairs. When he went up, the MD asked him to stop the protest, which Mozumdar refused and as he came down, cops asked him to sit in a police car. With other reporters supporting him, he said he would go to the station himself. He did so around 1 p.m. after finishing his work–sent visuals from the protest. He was detained there until after 11 pm.” His family was given details of his arrest.
In a statement, IJU President and former member of Press Council of India Geetartha Pathak and Secretary General and Vice President of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Sabina Inderjit said that Mozumdar’s arrest was sheer gagging of independent reportage, and the FIRs filed appeared to be trumped up charges. Besides, arresting journalists for merely during his/her duties is sheer violation of freedom of press.
