Journalist faces Crime Branch action for exposing data breach, Kerala's press fights back

A march was organised by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) district committee to the DGP office on Tuesday.

Published on: Dec 25, 2024, 16:09:11 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Kerala Police Crime Branch’s move to seize the mobile phone of Aniru Ashokan, a reporter from a Malayalam daily, has triggered a wave of support from local journalists across the state.

Kerala Police Crime Branch's action came after the journalist reported on the alleged breach of sensitive data.

According to PTI, the Crime Branch's action came after the journalist reported on the alleged breach of sensitive data of candidates applying for Public Service Commission (PSC) jobs, and the alleged attempts to coerce him into revealing his sources.

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A march was organised by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) district committee to the DGP office on Tuesday, in protest against the notice issued to the reporter. Similar marches were organised in various districts, including Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur.

What was the journalist's report about?

Ashokan’s investigative report revealed that login details of approximately 6.5 million PSC job applicants were allegedly leaked by hackers and sold on the dark web.

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The Crime Branch earlier questioned the reporter of Madhyamam daily, Aniru Asokan, about his report and later issued a notice asking the said newspaper for details on how the document about the data breach was accessed, according to the Indian Express.

While senior Congress leader M M Hassan and others have expressed concern that the police action could stifle press freedom, some journalists argue that the Crime Branch’s move is crucial in preventing further harm.

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Hassan, said, "The police action was a fascist step and questioning a journalist to uncover the source of such information is a violation of press freedom."

He urged the police and the government to withdraw from the move to curb freedom of the press.

In a statement, Madhyamam Daily reaffirmed that they would take legal action to defend their reporter, PTI reported.

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HT News Desk
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