Mukesh Kumar, the resident editor of Sudarshan News, was arrested by police in Gurugram over his alleged inflammatory posts on social media related to the communal violence in Nuh and adjoining districts in Haryana.
Responding to Kumar’s arrest, the TV channel, which had initially alleged he was “abducted” by some goons, termed it an attack on media freedom.
The Gurugram Police said he was arrested by the Cyber Crime, East Police Station. Six people were killed in the Nuh communal violence that erupted during a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession on July 31.
An FIR was registered against Kumar on August 9 under Sections 153B, 401, 469, and 505 (1) (C) of the IPC and Section 66-C of the IT Act.
According to the police, on X (formally Twitter), Kumar alleged a foreign media house has been making calls to the Gurugram Police Commissioner and pressuring her to take action against Hindus over the communal riots.
In a statement on Friday, the Gurugram Police rejected Kumar’s claims and termed them baseless, false and misleading. An FIR was registered under the relevant section of the IT Act and other sections against the journalist at the Cyber Crime, East Police Station, the police said.
Table of Contents
What did Mukesh Kumar write?
On August 8, Kumar wrote, “The @AJENews (Al Jazeera News Channel) has been making calls to the Gurgaon Police Commissioner and pressuring her to take action against Hindus. And after receiving the call, @DC_Gurugram comes under so much pressure she picks up Hindu activists from anywhere.”
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Varun Dahiya said on Friday Kumar was arrested and taken to a hospital for his medical examination
Mukesh Kumar abducted: Sudarshan News
The news channel had earlier claimed that Kumar was “abducted” from Gurugram. It said he had gone to Mewat to help “struggling” Hindu activists. It said he was abducted by “well-built goons” from his car in Sector 17, Gurugram.
It issued another statement later, saying it took the Gurugram Police seven hours to issue a press note informing about the arrest.
“This arrest is totally illegal and wrong. Sudarshan News stands by Mukesh Kumar ji and considers the arrest an attack on media freedom,” it said with the hashtag #ReleaseMukeshKumar.
(With inputs from PTI)
