New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) has moved the Supreme Court alleging that journalists were detained, manhandled and prevented from reporting during protests in the national capital on October 10 and 11. The petition, filed on behalf of its members and other affected journalists through advocate Shashank Singh, alleged that reporters were forced away from protest sites, stopped from filming and, in some cases, subjected to physical force. It also cited allegations of equipment being seized and women journalists subjected to invasive searches and misbehaviour.
The plea cited senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta's statement that he was detained on October 10 despite showing his Press Information Bureau accreditation card, without being given grounds for detention or any paperwork. It also referred to a Committee to Protect Journalists report recording at least 35 journalist detentions over the two days.
Challenging a Delhi Police advisory dated October 5, the union argued that accreditation cannot be a prerequisite for reporting in public spaces, as press freedom under Article 19(1)(a) extends to freelancers and independent journalists. The DUJ sought an independent, time-bound inquiry, preservation of evidence, return of equipment, compensation where violations are established, and safeguards for journalists covering public events.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.