The Assam Police has issued a summons to Siddharth Varadarajan, senior journalist and founding editor of The Wire, in a move that has ignited widespread concerns about press freedom and the rule of law in the state. On August 12, the Guwahati Crime Branch registered a case against Varadarajan under Sections 152, 196, 197(1)(d), 3(6), 353, 45, and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, under case number 03/2025. The journalist has been directed to appear at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station on August 22.
This development follows a similar case filed by the Morigaon Police against Varadarajan under the same legal sections, including Section 152, which addresses acts endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity by prohibiting activities like speech or writing that promote secession, armed rebellion, or separatist sentiments.
In response to the Morigaon case, Varadarajan approached the Supreme Court, which, on August 12, granted him interim protection from coercive legal action. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, issued the ruling while hearing a petition by Varadarajan and the Foundation for Independent Journalism challenging the constitutional validity of Section 152 of the BNS.
The Supreme Court’s order explicitly barred the Assam Police from taking coercive steps against Varadarajan, linking the case with another related petition. However, the Guwahati Crime Branch’s decision to file a fresh case under identical sections has raised alarm, with critics arguing it defies the Supreme Court’s directive and undermines judicial authority.
The controversy centers on an investigative article published by The Wire about ‘Operation Sindoor’, which has drawn the ire of authorities, leading to legal actions against Varadarajan.
