New Delhi, August 19 — Assam Police have registered a fresh case against The Wire’s founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan and senior journalist Karan Thapar, invoking Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). The provision replaces India’s earlier sedition law.
The Chenab Times has learnt that the Guwahati Crime Branch issued summons on August 12, directing both journalists to appear before investigators on August 22. The notices warn that failure to comply could result in arrest.
The development came on the same day the Supreme Court granted protection to The Wire’s journalists in an earlier FIR registered in Morigaon on July 11. That case was filed on a complaint by a BJP functionary over a June 28 report on Operation Sindoor, citing remarks by India’s defence attaché in Indonesia.
According to The Wire, the Guwahati summons did not include a copy of the FIR, the date of registration, or details of the alleged offence. Its counsel in Guwahati said no record of the FIR was traceable in the magistrate’s court. Varadarajan and Thapar stated they are willing to cooperate with investigators but cannot respond without being provided the FIR, as required by law.
Press bodies react
The Press Club of India and the Indian Women Press Corps, in a joint statement, described the case as the second FIR against the platform in two months and alleged “vindictive action” by the Assam Police. They demanded withdrawal of both cases and repeal of Section 152.
The Editors Guild of India, in a separate statement, said it was “extremely disturbed” by the repeated use of criminal provisions against journalists. The Guild noted that Section 152 is a repackaged version of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, which was suspended by the Supreme Court in 2022. It added that invoking such provisions “effectively muzzles independent journalism” and reminded authorities that “honest journalism can never be a crime.”
The Wire has filed a writ petition challenging the constitutionality of Section 152. The Supreme Court, in response, has issued notice to the Assam government.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
