Agra. Journalist Gaurav Bansal, 39, was released from jail late on Monday evening after getting bail. Gaurav was arrested on March 15 for making false reports in the recently held Uttar Pradesh elections.
The court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate granted him bail after hearing the plea of the journalist’s lawyer.
Journalists in Agra welcomed the court order protesting Bansal’s arrest.
Gaurav was arrested on March 15 when he reached a counting center in Agra on March 8 and alleged that EVMs were being replaced during voting for the UP Assembly.
Bansal’s lawyer accused the police of torturing her in custody, and alleged that she was subjected to third-degree torture and humiliated by policemen.
A case was registered against the journalist under IPC section.
After which he was produced in the court and sent to judicial custody.
Bansal’s counsel sought bail on the ground that his client was innocent but the prosecution opposed the bail plea.
Earlier on Monday, the Editors Guild of India had demanded a court-monitored independent inquiry into Bansal’s arrest.
In a statement, the body said the Editors Guild of India is shocked by the manner in which a journalist Gaurav Bansal of Agra has been arrested and allegedly tortured for reporting about electoral malpractices in the recent assembly elections.
Noting that Bansal’s lawyer alleged that he was subjected to third degree torture and humiliated by police officers, the Guild said that the journalist should be released immediately and an independent court-monitored investigation should take place.
The guild said the police have charged Bansal under penal law for deterring a government official from performing his duty.
The Guild said it is deeply concerned that punitive laws are often used to harass and intimidate journalists from reporting freely on sensitive issues.
The Editors Guild of India also urged the state government to ensure that the rights of the media are protected and journalists are allowed to do their work fearlessly and not harass them.
—AnyTV News
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