Guwahati police have summoned senior journalists Siddharth Varadarajan and Karan Thapar in connection with a sedition case, directing them to appear before the Crime Branch on August 22, according to official notices.
The summonses, issued under FIR No. 03/2025, warn that failure to comply could result in arrest. Police have not disclosed details of the case despite repeated requests for information.
Copies of the notices, state that investigators believe “reasonable grounds” exist to question the journalists to “ascertain the facts and circumstances” related to the probe. The documents were signed by Crime Branch Inspector Soumarjyoti Ray.
While Varadarajan received his notice on August 14, Thapar’s was delivered on August 18. Both were directed to appear before investigators in Guwahati later this week.
The FIR cites multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 152, which addresses acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. The section replaced the colonial-era sedition law under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, which has been on hold since a Supreme Court order in May 2022.
As of now, senior police officials have not commented on the matter. The case and its underlying allegations remain unclear.
