RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Sept.13: Press freedom organizations, Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma and Mumbai Press Club, has written to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and NIA Director General Dinkar Gupta requesting them for their urgent intervention to arrange the immediate and unconditional release of Rupesh Kumar Singh, a Jharkhand-based independent journalist detained since July 17, 2022, and withdrawal of all investigations against him.
The press freedom organization requesting for release has said that Singh was arrested in retaliation for his extensive reporting on the rights of tribal communities and a just day prior to his arrest he had published a report on the environmental and health impacts surrounding the alleged dumping of industrial waste on agricultural land belonging to a tribal community in Giridih, Jharkhand.
Through the letter the press freedom body informed about the circumstances under which journalist Singh was arrested.
“On July 17, 2022, police conducted a nine-hour raid on Singh’s home, which was marred by procedural irregularities. Police seized the journalist’s two mobile phones, two laptops, a hard drive, and other personal items, before arresting him in relation to a warrant dated February 16, 2022, fully five months prior. The warrant cites a November 2021 case filed by Jharkhand’s Kandra police station, which accuses multiple individuals and a “Rupesh” (identified only by first name), of Maoist activities in violation of various laws, including the draconian anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). However, Ipsa Shatakshi, the journalist’s wife, claims that this was the first time that authorities formally informed Singh about his involvement in this case, and the accompanying warrant,” the letter reads.
“Authorities presented Singh in court on July 18, 2022, 27 hours from the time of his arrest, in violation of Article 22 of the Indian constitution, which requires that detainees be produced before the nearest magistrate within 24 hours of arrest,” the letter further reads.
The letter points out loopholes in the process of arresting journalists.
“In early August 2022, authorities presented Singh with two production warrants, which each ordered that he appear for questioning regarding two additional cases relating to alleged Maoist activities, according to Shatakshi. Again, this was the first time that authorities formally informed Singh about these two additional cases, his wife alleges. The second case, filed by Jharkhand’s Jageshwar police station on June 30, 2022, does not list Singh as an accused. The third case, filed by Bihar state’s Rohtas police station on April 26, 2022, alleges that authorities had received credible information that Maoist party leaders were collecting dues and recruiting cadres in the area on April 12, 2022, in violation of various laws, including the UAPA. Although the third case identifies a “Rupesh Kumar Singh” of Bhagalpur, Bihar, Singh’s home is in Jharkhand,” the letter reads.
“Furthermore, in a May 5, 2022 email thread with other journalists, Singh stated that he was in Nagpur, Maharashtra from April 12, 2022 to April 13, 2022, to cover a political event. Singh can be seen in a live broadcast of the event published on the organizer’s Facebook page. The third case is now under the jurisdiction of the National Investigation Agency,” the letter further reads.
The press freedom organization expressed its concern over the action and points out how poor treatment is being given to the journalist in custody.
“We are gravely concerned by this severe legal harassment. It appears that authorities aim to punish the journalist by subjecting him to a prolonged, pretrial detention period and complex judicial process. Furthermore, we are deeply disturbed by allegations that authorities have subjected Singh to cruel and inhumane punishment by initially holding him in a cell adjacent to those with infectious diseases, including Hepatitis B, tuberculosis and leprosy, before moving him to a dilapidated and abandoned building of the jail, where he is the only detainee, to deprive him of social interaction. Shatakshi further alleges that authorities have repeatedly subjected Singh to extended and hostile interrogations, and have failed to provide Singh with adequate access to proper food in detention,” the letter reads.
The press freedom body in its letter writes that it was not for the first time Singh was targeted.
“This is not the first time that authorities have targeted Singh in apparent retaliation for his work. Previously, in 2019, police in Bihar state detained Singh for six months under various laws, including the UAPA, following his reporting on the alleged extrajudicial killing of a tribal worker. Singh was released on bail after police failed to file a charge sheet within 180 days as required by law. Additionally, at least three of Singh’s mobile phone numbers were potentially targeted by Pegasus spyware. Singh and Shatakshi are lead petitioners in a Supreme Court case concerning the government’s alleged use of Pegasus to target journalists and human rights activists,” the letter reads.
The press freedom body urges the NIA DG and the Jharkhand chief minister to consider Singh’s work a public service and ensure immediate release.
“Singh’s work should be considered a public service, not a crime. Given the severely deteriorating state of press freedom in India, we urge you to ensure that authorities do not weaponize prolonged pretrial detention and judicial harassment to punish journalists in retaliation for their work. Authorities must swiftly and unconditionally release Singh, drop all retaliatory investigations brought against him, and allow him to continue his journalistic work without interference or fear of reprisal,” the letter demands.
