Journalists Say Cops 'Harassing' Over Sand Mafia Reports, No Court Relief

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to provide interim protection from arrest to two Madhya Pradesh journalists, who have been accused of professional misconduct, amid a controversy over their reports on the sand mafia in the state.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma agreed to hear the plea for anticipatory bail filed by journalists Shashikant Goyal and Amarkant Singh Chouhan, but wondered why the duo did not approach the High Court.

"Can we grant this kind of a blanket protection without knowing what charges are there against you? The phantom of story you presented before us while mentioning the same case cannot be made out from content of petitions. How is there a threat to your life? What prevents you from going to the Madhya Pradesh High Court?" the bench said. 

Mr Chouhan is the Bhind Bureau Chief of Swaraj Express news channel while Mr Goyal works at news portal Dainik Bejor Ratna. 

In their petitions, the two journalists alleged harassment from the Madhya Pradesh police and threat to their lives over their reports on the sand mafia. They claimed they were beaten up inside Bhind Superintendent of Police (SP) Asit Yadav's chamber, and also forced to record statements that would raise doubts on their credibility.

Justice Chandra, however, remarked: "It is very easy to make allegations against an IPS officer!" 

The bench also pulled up the petitioners for approaching the Delhi High Court but not informing the top court about the same. The journalists, however, said the Delhi High Court has no jurisdiction over the Madhya Pradesh police.

The court said it cannot grant anticipatory bail or interim protection without hearing the other party (Madhya Pradesh police) and issued a notice to the state government. It posted the matter for Monday.

On May 25, the Press Club of India, Indian Women's Press Corps and Delhi Union of Journalists condemned the alleged police action against the two journalists. 

"Even more shocking is that the physical violence against the journalists was inflicted under the supervision of none other than the SP Bhind, Asit Yadav, in his chamber after Goyal and Chauhan were 'invited' to have tea with him. Goyal works for the MP-based news portal Dainik Bejor Ratna, while Chauhan is the Bhind bureau chief of Swaraj Express," the Press Club said in a statement.

"Various news reports suggest that the Bhind Police was displeased with the continuous reporting about the illegal sand mining activities in the Chambal river that are carried out by the sand mafia in connivance with the local police and wanted to 'teach' the journalists a 'lesson', who refused to refrain despite earlier warnings," it added. 

Local reports, according to the statement, claimed Mr Chouhan and Mr Goyal had planned to board a train from Gwalior station to Delhi on May 4 to meet MP Jyotiraditya Scindia when they met another journalist, Saurabh Sharma. Mr Sharma, on the pretext of taking them to the Capital by road, took them to a nearby dhaba.

A few police officials waiting at the dhaba then took Mr Chouhan and Mr Goyal to the SP Yadav's bungalow to work out a "compromise", the reports said. The journalists were told that they were facing complaints of alleged professional misconduct. They were told that the matter would be dropped if they stopped pursuing their complaints against the Bhind police officials, the reports said.

On May 5, Mr Goyal and Mr Chouhan were summoned by SP Yadav to his office and allegedly forced to record a video statement that all matters between the two parties were "resolved". The video was, however, subsequently circulated in an alleged attempt to bring disrepute to the journalists.

The alleged harassment led the journalists to file complaints with the Press Council and National Human Rights Commission.