Tripura journalists booked for instigating communal violence granted bail

AGARTALA:

The two women journalists, who were booked for purportedly instigating communal hatred through social media, were granted bail by the court on November 15 under certain conditions.

According to reports, the journalists Samriddhi K Shakunia and Swarna Jha were brought back to Tripura from Assam on November 14.

After a preliminary questioning at Maharanipur Out Post, they were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Gomati District, where the CJM Subhra Nath granted them bail in lieu of Rs 75,000 personal bail bonds for each of them.

The Court has also directed them to appear before the police at Kakraban police station where the case was first lodged against them. However, they have been freed from police custody for now.

Speaking to The Northeast Today (TNT), the counsel of both the journalists Pijush Kanti Biswas said that the journalists were arrested by the police and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Gomati, Udaipur on November 15.

“In the police forwarding, the police framed charges against them for instigating communal hatred between two communities. Police invoked charges under Indian Penal Code section 153A, 153B, and 120B. After going through the FIR, I have informed the Court that no allegations have been made in the FIR, and they do not constitute such offense”, he said.

Biswas said that the Bail was granted on condition that they (the journalists) would appear before the Kakraban police station on November 16. They have consented to appear before the Court and also laid a condition of Rs 75,000 bail bond for each of them. One Adhir Das (55), a resident of Kakraban became the Guarantor of the Bail.

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