Journalist’s arrest: Ambala court finds no substance in allegation, grants bail

The journalist, who works as a reporter with a vernacular daily in Ambala, had been held for creating enmity between classes through a news report

A day after a journalist of a vernacular newspaper was arrested for allegedly creating enmity between classes through a news report; an Ambala court granted him bail on Saturday, finding no substance in the allegations.

While granting bail, the court said that there is no need for further interrogation of the journalist, as custodial interrogation has been completed. (Representative image)

Apart from the reporter, Sunil Brar, who works for Dainik Bhaskar, a Hindi daily, the Ambala Cantonment police also booked the newspaper’s zonal news editor, Sandeep Sharma, on Thursday under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 177 (furnishing false information), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code. Sharma hasn’t been arrested, while Brar was arrested from his office at Cantonment’s Rai Market.

All except Section 505 (2) are bailable offences. They were booked after a news report was published in the newspaper about the arrest of a purported ISI-linked terrorist by the Punjab Police in Ambala.

Anterdeep Singh, assistant public prosecutor, while asking for judicial remand, alleged that “by publishing wrong information in a national newspaper, he has created a false alarm in the mind of the general public, thereby promoted enmity between classes and he has also committed an offence against public peace.”

He further argued that Brar might hamper with the evidence, as the machines from where the newspaper was printed, are at the office.

Moving his bail application, advocate Rohit Jain said that Brar has been a journalist for over nine years and has been falsely implicated due to political pressure on police officers.

While granting bail, the court of Mukesh Kumar, judicial magistrate first class, said that there is no need for further interrogation as custodial interrogation has been completed and the investigation is based on documentary evidence.

On the prosecution charge of creating enmity, the court said, “..after perusal of remand paper and the copy of newspaper produced by the investigating officer, this court is of the view that there was nothing which can create enmity between classes.”

HDF general secretary Chitra Sarwara welcomed the bail order and said that she believes that all authorities concerned will respect the law and individual rights in future.