The Editors Guild of India has voiced concern over media reports that the Assam Police have summoned two senior journalists—Siddharth Varadarajan, Founding Editor of The Wire, and Karan Thapar, Consulting Editor of the publication—following the registration of a case alleging that they endangered the sovereignty of the country.
According to the Guild, the journalists have been asked to appear before the Crime Branch office at Panbazar in Guwahati on August 22.
The development comes just days after the Supreme Court granted Varadarajan and others protection from “coercive action” in connection with a previous FIR related to an article published by The Wire.
It remains unclear whether the latest case is linked to the same article, which reportedly criticised the government over ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The new FIR, like the earlier one filed at Morigaon Police Station, invokes Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), a provision dealing with acts endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.
Additional sections cited include 196 (communal enmity), 197(1)(d)/3(6) (false propaganda), 353 (public mischief), 45 (abetment), and 61 (criminal conspiracy).
Terming the repeated use of such provisions against journalists as a “disturbing trend,” the Guild said the practice effectively stifles independent reporting.
“The very process of responding to notices, summons, and prolonged judicial proceedings becomes a form of punishment,” the statement noted.
The Guild expressed particular concern over Section 152, which it described as a rebranded version of the sedition law (Section 124A of the IPC) that the Supreme Court ordered to be kept in abeyance in May 2022.
“Rather than address the concerns raised by the Court, the government reintroduced the provision in a broader form under the new law,” it said, adding that the provision now covers not just speech but also alleged financial acts.
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The statement recalled that in July 2024, the Guild had written to the Union Home Ministry warning against possible misuse of Section 152 and similar provisions and urging procedural safeguards to prevent arbitrary application against journalists performing their duties.
While acknowledging the importance of upholding the law, the Guild cautioned against its misuse.
“Honest journalism can never be a crime,” it said, urging the Assam Police to avoid actions that could cast doubt on their intent. It also reminded journalists to continue reporting without fear or favour.
