Women journalists arrested in Tripura violence reporting case granted bail
The two women journalists attached with Delhi-based HW News Network covering Tripura violence and accused of publishing 'false news' have been granted bail. The news outlet announced that it has appointed a senior advocate to represent the two journalists and will press for immediate bail for them.
FollowIn a big relief to women journalists from Delhi-based HW News Network, Sammriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha have been granted bail in connection with their report on violence in Tripura's Gomati district. The Tripura police had registered an FIR following a complaint from Kanchan Das from VHP and detained the two yesterday from Kishanganj in Assam and produced in Udaipur Magistrate Court today (November 15).
Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in Gomati district of Tripura hearing the bail plea moved by them through advocate Pijush Biswas granted the bail. The women journalists were accused of fabricating the facts in reporting and the police have claimed that the reports of two women journalists are far from the truth.
Also read:Â Tripura violence case: Top cop says behaviour of women journalists led to doubt and arrest
The Tripura Law and Order IG Arindham Nath has earlier claimed that women journalists had assured them that they will appear before the police in Agartala but later escaped to Assam. Following this, the police took the magistrate's order and with help from Assam police, arrested them from Kishanganj.
As per the police, the journalists had reported about the Masjid being attacked and also burning the Quran. But Shashvat Kumar, SP of Gomati District said that when asked about the evidence of the violence and burning of scripture, the journalists did not cooperate and this led to their arrest.
The journalists had claimed that the police detained them when they were on their way to the Airport to reach Delhi. They also claimed that despite appealing to the Tripura escort team to wait until their lawyers arrive, they were taken Tripura from Assam. Indian Women's Press Corps expressed solidarity and also issued a release in support of the arrested journalists.The Corps in a release noted that the journalists were harassed, intimidated, and detained for doing their duty.
