Press Club of India condemns Assam Police over journalist’s arrest amid alleged corruption cover-up

The Press Club of India (PCI) has extended its solidarity with the Guwahati Press Club in protest against the midnight arrest of digital media journalist Dilawar Hussain Mozumder by the Assam Police. 

The journalist, who is also the assistant general secretary of the Guwahati Press Club, was detained at Guwahati’s Pan Bazar police station since the afternoon of March 25 without his family or media organization being informed of the charges against him.

Mozumder was apprehended while covering a protest staged by a sister organization of the Assam Jatiya Parishad in front of the Assam Co-Operative Apex Bank headquarters, highlighting alleged corruption in the bank's recruitment process. 

During his coverage, Mozumder approached the bank’s managing director, Dambaru Saikia, for a statement regarding the allegations. Saikia invited him inside for further discussion. 

However, shortly after leaving the bank, Mozumder received a call summoning him to the Pan Bazar police station, where he was subsequently detained. In a social media post, Mozumder revealed that he was being held for questioning the bank’s MD about the alleged scam.

As the news of his detention spread, senior journalists and members of the media community gathered at the police station but were denied access to Mozumder. Even his lawyer was not permitted to meet him.

Adding to the controversy, Mozumder, who was fasting, was denied access to food brought by his wife for Iftaar. He was also deprived of essential medicines despite being diabetic. It was only after persistent demands from fellow journalists that his wife was allowed a brief visit late at night.

Post-midnight, the police informed the gathered journalists that Mozumder had been arrested under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly offending a member of the Bodo community. 

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However, the police failed to disclose the complainant's identity or details of the alleged offense.

The PCI has strongly condemned the Assam Police’s handling of the situation, particularly the lack of transparency and refusal to inform his family or colleagues about the grounds for his detention. 

The organization has termed the move a blatant attack on press freedom, violating Article 19(1)(A) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression.

PCI has called upon the Assam government and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to ensure that police actions align with the principles of justice and press freedom. The organization has also urged authorities to prevent misuse of the SC/ST Act and protect journalists from false accusations while they perform their duties in the public interest.

The arrest of Mozumder has sparked outrage among journalists and rights groups, raising serious concerns about press freedom and governmental accountability in Assam. The incident has intensified calls for an impartial investigation into the matter and immediate action to uphold the rights of journalists in the state.