The Press Council of India has sent notifications on the Punjab government, requesting a report on a reporter’s arrest and “preventing her from performing her journalistic duty.” Punjab Police arrested TV journalist Bhawana Kishore and two others on May 5 after their vehicle allegedly hit a woman, hurting her hand. On May 7, she was released from jail in Ludhiana after the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted her temporary bail.
Ranjana Prakash Desai, chairman of the Press Council of India, requested a report within two weeks in notices to the chief secretary, home secretary, Director General of Police of Punjab, and other top officers.
The issue was the restriction of press freedom, which the Press Council of India is required by law to protect. The PCI chairperson has raised concern about the activities of the Punjab Police and has taken suo-motu cognizance of the case in accordance with the applicable legal procedures, according to the statement.
Kishore, along with video journalist Mrityunjay Kumar and automobile driver Parminder Singh, were charged with making casteist remarks to the woman under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
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