Free Speech Tracker

List of Incidents in Orissa -> Online and mobile -> 2011
Police intimidate Odiya daily editor
Ref:
Bhubaneshwar, Orissa

The Executive Editor of Odiya daily Suryaprava, Navin Das, has said that Bhubaneshwar police have been trying to intimidate the publisher of the daily, Bikash Swain, and may arrest him on fabricated charges.

In a letter to the Media Unity for Freedom of Press ( MUFP ), Das has expressed
apprehensions about an impending �police attack�, a statement from the Odiya-based journalists� organisation said.

The MUFP statement expressed its serious over the reports that the Bhubaneswar police is allegedly trying to slap fabricated charges against Sri Bikash Swain, publisher of Odia daily Suryaprabha to despatch him to jail for the second time and make sure he does not get bail.

All this because despite vindictive police action against Sri Swain last year, Suryaprabha has refused to fall in line and has continued to publish critical reports on the acts of omissions and commisioons of both the state government and the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate !

The MUFP would not like to jump to conclusions but we would be failing in our duty if we do not bring this to your kind attention to prevent any attempt by the police to intimidate or terrorise the media just because it chooses to project critical views on the functioning of the government and its agencies.