The Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday granted interim bail to Delhi-based journalist representing a national news channel, Bhawana Gupta but two of her associates will have to remain behind bars.
Gupta along with Mritunjay Kumar, the video journalist of the channel and Parmender Singh Rawat, the driver of vehicle, were booked in an accident case on Thursday by Ludhiana Police, when their car allegedly hit a woman in Ludhiana, when they were there to cover an event to be attended by AAP chief and Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal.
The court observed that prima facie invocation of provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act 1989 were not made out. Court also took note of the fact that the petitioner was a woman journalist. Court made it clear that objections raised by the state would be taken into account on the next date of hearing.
State’s advocate general Vinod Ghai had submitted that he did not have the case file and that main allegations were against her. In view of this her plea be not considered, Ghai, who appeared with Gaurav Garg Dhuriwala had submitted.
The court, however ordered that she be released on interim bail till Monday, when further arguments are raised before the court.
As per her lawyers, senior advocates RS Rai and Chetan Mittal, the trio had sought quashing of the FIR registered by Ludhiana Police and stay on the proceedings of the FIR. As an interim measure they had also demanded that all three be allowed bail.
The case was registered for rash driving, causing hurt and under the provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act 1989.
The court was told that they were illegally involved in the FIR as they were part of the expose done by the channel about the expenditure incurred on the redevelopment and renovation of the Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence. “It is a systematic and calibrated attempt by the state to suppress freedom of speech,” the plea alleged adding that the provisions under SC/ ST Act could not have been invoked as none of them new the complainant.
It was further claimed that the case was nothing but a “political witch-hunt” on the part of the state at the behest of AAP as for the past two weeks the channel and its sister publications are reporting against the Delhi chief minister for renovating official residence at the cost of ₹45 crore.
“Since the said reporting of the matter, the channel as well as their reporters have become an eyesore to the AAP leaders and their workers,” the plea alleged adding that the crew, including Gupta had gone there after an invitation from the AAP for the event but they were not allowed to enter the premises and later on this story about alleged accident was “framed”.
Earlier, Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit took up the issue of Gupta’s arrest with chief minister Bhagwant Mann and said such incidents “do not give a good message about the state”.
National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma had sought a detailed action taken report in connection with the matter within four days from the Punjab DGP.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh Press Club condemned arrest of the TV journalist while she was on a professional duty.