Four men in Assam shoot porn video with a minor, police arrest journalists reporting the crime

The arrest of two journalists in Assam’s Morigaon district for reporting the filming of a pornographic video involving a minor has caused massive outrage across the state. The police, however, claims that the duo was arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 because they had allegedly published the explicit video on their portals compromising the identity of the minor.

“...few channels and portals namely – NewzNow, B24 News, COBRA News, Current Trend Assam, BMC News, Sangbad Lahar, DK365, SJ News, Sankar Jyoti, Da News Plus, Ishan News, and others astonishingly published the news on social media showing sexually contents of the minor girl exposing the victim of POCSO Act case,” read a copy of the FIR that is available with India Today NE.

Earlier this month, four youths identified as Habizul Islam, Motibur Rahman, Haibur Rahman, and Newaz Ali allegedly shot a scandalous sexual clip with a 17-year-old girl at a char (riverine island formed through silt deposits) of Moirabari in Middle Assam’s Morigaon district. The clip was leaked on social media and went viral.

After the sexually explicit clip blew up on the internet, the girl’s father went to the local police station on July 19 to lodge a formal complaint against the four youths in the video. However, the case was not registered. The police are yet to arrest the four accused who are absconding.

Talking exclusively to India Today NE, the girl’s father, said: “We were mistreated by the police. They called us derogatory names. Therefore, we have not approached them again out of shame.”

Meanwhile, some local television channels and online portals reported the incident and even played parts of the video though they claim they played the videos in blurred mode. Though the police have failed to trace the miscreants, they were quick to arrest two journalists for violating the POSCO Act. Journalists Nasidur Rahman (40) and Mushtafizur Rahman (30) were arrested on July 24 under Section 228 A/14/15 of the POCSO act and 67B of the IT Act, 2000 for “showing sexual contents of the minor girl”.

The arrests have caused a public outcry in Moirabari town, with stirs being carried out against what is being perceived as ‘unjustified’ arrests of journalists. Local scribes are up in arms and are alleging ‘unfair persecution' by the authorities. “The police have not been able to nab the perpetrators which begs the question: Do the police have a secret understanding with the accused?” says journalist Ariz Uz Zaman.

“Journalists are the fourth pillar of society. They stand with the common people during the biggest crises. It is unfortunate,” says local women rights activist leader Misira Begum.

Even the girl’s family has condemned the arrest of the journalists. “Anyone who is asking for justice should not be harassed by police or anyone else. Why are journalists being arrested? They are only seeking justice,” said the girl’s father.