Breaking: Journalist Jailed for Exposing Corrupt Banking Practices in Assam’s Co-operative Apex Bank

Subsequent Arrest of Journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumdar Raises Concerns over Press Freedom in Assam

Assam police arrested journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumdar on Tuesday night, detaining him for several hours after he covered a protest outside the Assam Co-operative Apex Bank (ACAB) in Guwahati. Mozumdar, a reporter for The CrossCurrent, a digital media portal, and assistant general secretary of the Guwahati Press Club, was taken into custody following a period of detention.

The grounds for his arrest, as reported by his family, state that Mizumdar was arrested for alleged criminal intimidation and violation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly making “offensive remarks” against the complainant. The FIR and the complainant’s statement, as per the notice of information on the grounds of arrest, claim that Mozumdar made “verbal accusations, including ‘Boro jati hoi tumi besi kora’ (being from the Boro tribe, you do too much), which was intended to demean and insult the complainant,” reportedly causing distress and mental agony.

The police, as per the notice, state that Mozumdar’s remarks were not only offensive but also hurt the emotional and psychological sentiments of the complainant. However, some sources, including Mozumdar’s editor Arup Kalita, claim that the journalist’s arrest is nothing more than an attempt to silence the media and suppress the truth, particularly in light of the fact that Mozumdar had previously written about the irregularities within the bank. The fact that the Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, is the director of the ACAB and BJP MLA Biswajit Phukan is the current chairman of the board raises further concerns about the appropriateness of the arrest.

As the situation continues to unfold, many are left questioning the true motivations behind Mizumdar’s arrest and the potential implications it may have on press freedom in Assam.

Original Source: https://news.abplive.com/cities/journalist-arrested-after-reporting-on-protest-against-assam-co-operative-apex-bank-fraud-1760716
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Publish Date: 2025-03-26 20:22:00