Another journalist held in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar

Raipur, March 27

Days after a journalist was held for allegedly posting “objectionable comments on social media, another scribe was arrested from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on charges of manhandling school staffers and house trespass.

Deepak Jaiswal (32) was held on a complaint lodged by the Principal of a government high school, Ranjeet Tikam, last year in which he had also named journalist Prabhat Singh, who was arrested on March 22 by Bastar Police.

“Jaiswal was held yesterday for entering government high school in Geedam police station area in Dantewada without permission during an examination in May, 2015, and threatening the Principal,” Dantewada Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap said.

As per the complaint, Jaiswal along with Singh had allegedly entered the school during the exam and tried to recover money from Tikam by threatening him, the SP said.

Based on the complaint, an investigation was carried out and Jaiswal was arrested. Prabhat had already been apprehended, he said.

The SP claimed that Jaiswal was not a journalist as per the record with the Directorate of Public Relations office, but runs a hotel at Geedam bus stand.

An FIR was lodged against Jaiswal under IPC Sections 448 (house trespass), 385 (extortion), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and other relevant Sections and Section 6 of Chhattisgarh State Examination Act, he said.

According to Dantewada-based journalists, Jaiswal was working with a Hindi daily ‘Dainandini’ in the past.

Meanwhile, Singh, who was arrested by Bastar Police on March 22 for allegedly posting an insulting message on a Whastapp group early this month, is said to be working with a Hindi national daily.

According to the police, beside this fresh case, there are three other cases, including the one which involves Jaiswal, lodged against Singh last year at different police stations of Dantewada.

Singh’s brother, Vishnu, however, alleged that his brother incurred the wrath of the police for reporting on alleged fake encounter in Bastar region.

This the fourth arrest of a journalist in the last one year in Bastar region. — PTI