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Ambala: A day after bail, journalist booked in another case
A day after an Ambala-based journalist of a Hindi daily was released on bail after being arrested for allegedly promoting enmity through a news report, he was booked in another case
A day after an Ambala-based journalist of a Hindi daily was released on bail after being arrested for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups through a news report, he was booked under charges of defamation, extortion and intimidation in another case on Sunday.
The scribe, Sunil Brar, has called the development a “witch-hunt” against him.
The second case has been registered on the complaint of Vikram Katyal, who works at the municipal council office in Ambala Sadar. He alleged a news report written by Brar on July 30 had spoiled his image. The complaint was submitted to the Haryana home minister Anil Vij during a public darbar on Saturday.
Katyal alleged that Brar frequently visits his office and seeks gifts and cash, and wrote a baseless news against him, without his quotes, after he failed to meet his demands.
“After reading the news, my father started remaining ill, and on August 21, he died of a cardiac arrest. Earlier this month, he (Brar) visited my office again and intimidated me (with) dire consequences. Now, his recent arrest boosted my morale and I decided to complain against him,” the complaint reads.
Inspector Vijay Kumar, station in-charge, Ambala Cantt police station, said Brar has been booked under Sections 385 (putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion), 500 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. “The matter is under investigation,” he said.
Last Thursday, a case was registered against Brar and his colleague Sandeep Sharma at the same police station for publishing a news report about the arrest of a purported ISI-linked terrorist by the Punjab Police in Ambala. Brar was arrested on Friday and was released on a regular bail the next day, while Sharma is yet to be arrested.
Reacting to the recent case, Brar, a journalist for over nine years, alleged the government was trying to harass him again and again, but he won’t bow down.
“They were unsuccessful in the first case as I got justice from court; so they decided to persecute me again. I will join the investigation whenever they call me, but I won’t stop writing news that questions the establishment. Our management is also dealing with the cases at their own level,” he said.
