Report on police action against journalist sought
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 29
A BJP member raised in Rajya Sabha the issue of arrest of an Indian Express correspondent in Chandigarh yesterday for writing a report against an Inspector- General of Police in Punjab.

Demanding a response from the government, BJP member Ajay Maroo, who raised the issue through a special mention, said Indian Express correspondent Gautam Dheer had written a report against the Inspector-General of Police due to which he was being penalised.

Mr Maroo claimed that the correspondent’s family was not informed about his arrest and none of them were allowed to meet him till late night.

He said journalists all over the country were agitated over the police action.

Dheer was arrested yesterday for allegedly threatening a minor rape victim.

The newspaper had carried Dheer’s report about two Nayagaon residents complaining to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission alleging police harassment at the hands of the IGP, who is heading investigations into the rape of the minor girl.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) will observe a vigilance day here tomorrow to protest against the increasing attacks on mediapersons and condemn the whisking away of a reporter by the Punjab Police.

DUJ president S.K. Pande told TNS here that the general body meeting at V.P. House here would also take note of the fact that curbs on press freedom were increasing in a variety of forms and guises.

In a press note issued here on today, the DUJ stated that it would consider its main agenda of an action plan for a new wage board and a media commission.

In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday, a delegation of the DUJ sought a new wage board for the entire newspaper industry.