- Notice Issued to MP Government; Next Hearing Scheduled for June 9
- Petitioners Claim Torture in Custody for Reporting on Illegal Sand Mining
- Press Freedom and Journalists’ Safety Under Spotlight
New Delhi, The Supreme Court of India has initiated proceedings on a petition filed by two journalists, Shashikant Jatav and Amarkant Singh Chauhan, who allege they were assaulted and tortured in police custody in Madhya Pradesh due to their investigative reporting on illegal sand mining.
A bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma has agreed to hear the petition and issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government. The next hearing is scheduled for June 9. The journalists have also requested interim protection from arrest, citing threats to their lives and ongoing attempts to suppress their journalistic work.
This development comes shortly after the Delhi High Court, in May, ordered a two-month security cover for Chauhan. Chauhan, the Bhind bureau chief for Swaraj Express, had told the court that he was forced to flee Madhya Pradesh due to constant intimidation by local police officers following his reports on illegal sand mining in the Chambal region.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja of the Delhi High Court had directed the Delhi Police to ensure Chauhan’s safety and suggested that he approach the relevant high court in Madhya Pradesh for further relief. Chauhan is being represented by senior advocates Warisha Farasat, Tamanna Pankaj, Aniruddh Ramanathan, and Priya Vats.
The petition argues that independent journalists in Madhya Pradesh are systematically targeted and intimidated by the police. Along with Chauhan, journalists Dharmendra Ojha (News24), Shashikant Jatav (Bejod Ratna), and Preetam Singh (NTV Bharat) were allegedly summoned to the Bhind Superintendent of Police’s office. There, they were reportedly stripped, beaten, had their mobile phones seized, and were coerced into recording video statements under duress.
It is further alleged that Chauhan and Jatav were forced to make a false video confession claiming that the matter had been “resolved.”
Reacting to the events, journalist Shashikant Jatav stated:
“I have full faith in the Supreme Court of India. We were simply fulfilling our duty as journalists by exposing corruption that harms both people and the environment. Now, we hope justice will prevail.”
Veteran journalist Manoj Kumar Sharma also expressed deep concern, saying:
“This isn’t just an attack on journalists, but on the fourth pillar of democracy itself. There must be accountability for such misuse of state power. The role of the judiciary in these cases reassures us that justice is still alive in this country.”
The case has become a flashpoint in the larger debate around press freedom and the safety of journalists in India. As the Supreme Court begins deliberation, the outcome is likely to set a critical precedent on the state’s responsibility to protect free expression and uphold democratic values.
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