Press Council of India issues notice to Punjab govt over arrest of journalist

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The Press Council of India has issued notices to the Punjab government seeking a report on the arrest of a reporter and "preventing her from doing her journalistic duty".

TV journalist Bhawana Kishore and two others were arrested by Punjab Police on May 5 when their vehicle allegedly hit a woman, injuring her hand. She was released from a jail in Ludhiana on May 7, a day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted her interim bail.

In the notices to the chief secretary, home secretary and Director General of Police of Punjab and other senior officers, Press Council of India chairperson Ranjana Prakash Desai sought the report within two weeks.

Also read: Stop using national security, UAPA to harass journalists, says Editors Guild of India

The matter pertained to the curtailment of press freedom, which the Press Council of India has been mandated by law to preserve. The PCI chairperson has expressed concern over the actions of the Punjab Police and has taken suo-motu cognisance of the matter as per the relevant provisions of the law, it said.

Kishore along with video journalist Mrityunjay Kumar and car driver Parminder Singh faced charges under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly making casteist remarks towards the woman.

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