New Delhi [India]: The Supreme Court of India has granted temporary protection from arrest to two journalists from Madhya Pradesh who claimed they were assaulted by Bhind police for reporting on illegal sand mining in the Chambal area. The bench of Justices PK Mishra and Manmohan dismissed their plea and directed the journalists to approach the Madhya Pradesh High Court within two weeks for further relief.
The court clarified that the journalists should not be arrested until the High Court considers their case. Shashikant Jatav and Amarkant Singh Chouhan had petitioned the Supreme Court seeking protection after alleging they were abducted, assaulted, and subjected to casteist slurs by Bhind police over their reporting.
In earlier proceedings, the Supreme Court had refused to grant interim protection, citing a lack of complete facts and stating that the state authorities needed to respond. The court had expressed doubts about the threat to the journalists’ lives and raised concerns over allegations against an IPS officer related to the assault without giving him an opportunity to respond.
The court also sought responses from both Madhya Pradesh and Delhi governments. Today, it granted them interim protection from arrest and referred their plea to the Madhya Pradesh High Court.