Rae Bareli: Three journalists get notices for reports on ‘diverting’ oxygen

Anuj Awasthi, one of the three, said he published an article about the diversion that came despite a crisis in the district. He added he picked up the story after a tweet from a national news agency, articles published by two national news portals, and verified the information also from the local sources

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli district have issued notices to three local journalists for publishing and sharing news articles alleging diversion of 20 metric tonnes of oxygen to Kanpur and sought information on their sources.

Representational Image. (File photo)

Anuj Awasthi, one of the three, said he published an article about the diversion that came despite a crisis in the district. He added he picked up the story after a tweet from a national news agency, articles published by two national news portals, and verified the information also from the local sources. He said the article was published on April 22 after was shared on Facebook by multiple users with their comments questioning the Rae Bareli district administration about the diversion.

Awasthi said he was handed over the notice calling the article and comments made on it misleading and violative of the Information Technology Act. He added the notice dated April 30 was given to him when he visited the district information office on Sunday. He said the notice was issued on behalf of the district magistrate and was signed by additional district magistrate Ram Abhilash. He said two other journalists Shivam Kumar Trivedi and Durgesh Singh Chauhan were also issued notices.

The Rae Bareli district administration officials could not be contacted for their comments on the issue.