The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has condemned the Assam police for issuing fresh summons to senior journalists Siddharth Varadarajan and Karan Thapar. The action followed a second FIR over the same allegations as an earlier case. PUCL called the move vindictive, arbitrary, and unconstitutional. It demanded withdrawal of the FIRs and repeal of Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), described as a rebranded sedition law.
The second FIR was registered in another district. Summons were served on August 12, the same day the Supreme Court ordered no coercive action in the first case. The first FIR, lodged on July 11, accused the two journalists of endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India. It invoked Section 152 and provisions on promoting enmity, conspiracy, and public mischief.
The charges came from a report in The Wire. The report cited Indian defence attaché to Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar. He admitted that the Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. He said political constraints stopped strikes on military establishments. PUCL said reporting such a statement cannot be an offence. It argued it was press freedom.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a constitutional challenge to Section 152. It observed custodial interrogation was unnecessary. Despite this, Assam police issued fresh summons. PUCL said this showed disregard for constitutional guarantees.
The rights body also recalled that on May 9, The Wire’s website was briefly blocked in India. The block followed its Rafale report linked to Operation Sindoor. PUCL called it part of a pattern to weaponise law against questioning state policy.
PUCL said Section 152 has vague and overbroad language. It is the sedition law in a new form. It criminalises legitimate reporting and attacks free expression. The organisation demanded that Assam police stop prosecuting the press. It also urged the Union government to repeal Section 152 to protect democracy.
