Published 15:04 IST, September 11th 2020
Republic Media Network to move Bombay HC against unlawful detention of reporter Anuj
Republic Media Network has decided to move the Bombay HC against the unlawful detention of our reporter Anuj Kumar who in under the Maharashtra Police's custody
In its fight for truth and justice and to uphold its Right to Report, Republic Media Network has decided to move the Bombay High Court against the unlawful detention of our reporter Anuj Kumar who in under the Maharashtra Police's custody for over 63 hours and counting, after days of illegally being jailed first. The metwork has also decided to move the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) against the state government's attempts to clamp down our reporter's right to personal liberty, and our channel's right to report.
Republic Crew illegally detained
Republic TV's reporter Anuj Kumar, video journalist Yashpaljit Singh and Ola cab driver Pradeep Dilip Dhanavade, were picked up by the Maharashtra Police while the reporting team was chasing a journalistic lead in an investigative assignment in Karjat in Raigad. Anuj is currently in illegal police custody for the third straight day after first being jailed without anything resembling due process 4 days before that.
Anuj was taken for a medical examination on Thursday and has since his detention been subjected to forcible interrogation by the Maharashtra Police.
Along with this, continuing its intimidation tactics, Shiv Cable Sena which is a wing of Shiv Sena has issued an order to block Republic Media Network, the order is signed by Sanjay Raut’s brother Sunil Raut and Sanjay Raut is the “pramukh margdarshak” of this organisation.
Why the Republic Crew must be freed?
In the Democratic Republic of India, every citizen has the right to move freely as part of their fundamental rights under Article 19(d), and no citizen can be illegitimately deprived of his life or personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. These rights do not extinguish in the radius around any Chief Minister’s residence. The illegal detention of our reporter and video journalist is an attack on constitutionally guaranteed rights with a motivation to muzzle a free press, deny the right to report, and to deter any journalist from speaking truth to power and pursuing stories of public interest as the fourth pillar of our democracy.
Updated 15:04 IST, September 11th 2020