Guwahati: Assam journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder was released from judicial custody on Saturday after securing bail in a second case, according to his lawyer.
Mozumder’s arrest and subsequent detention sparked nationwide outrage, drawing attention to press freedom and government accountability.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the controversy, stating he has no objection to journalists criticising him but emphasised that “the law is equal for all” if a journalist engages in activities beyond their professional role.
Mozumder, the chief reporter of the digital portal The Crosscurrent and assistant general secretary of the Gauhati Press Club, was initially arrested on Tuesday night while covering a protest against alleged financial irregularities at the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank Limited.
He was taken into custody following a complaint by a bank employee.
After being granted bail on Wednesday, Mozumder was rearrested in a second case on Thursday, based on allegations by the bank’s managing director, Dambaru Saikia, accusing him of attempting to steal valuable documents.
The journalist was granted bail in the second case on Friday and released after completing legal formalities.
The arrest triggered widespread protests across Assam and beyond, with journalists and activists raising concerns about press freedom and the manner in which Mozumder was apprehended.
Demonstrations were held in various parts of the state on Saturday, with opposition parties such as Congress, Raijor Dal, and a coalition of Left parties condemning the incident as an attack on press freedom.
Effigies of the chief minister were burned in several locations, including Guwahati.
In response, Sarma reiterated his support for journalism as a “noble profession” but warned against misuse of the role.
“Much has been written against me since 2001 when I first became a minister,” he said. “But if a journalist engages in unlawful activities, the law applies equally. If tomorrow, as chief minister, I grab someone’s land, I will also be arrested.”
Sarma also highlighted that BJP governments do not retaliate against criticism. “We greet those who write against us with a smile,” he said.
However, he claimed that digital journalists like Mozumder are not recognised by the state government under existing norms, and insisted that the cases against him were unrelated to journalism.
