By Arun Pratap Singh
GARHWAL POST BUREAU
Dehradun, 25 May: Senior journalist and chief correspondent of Jai Bharat Digital Live Channel, Hem Bhatt today lodged a complaint before the Uttarakhand State Human Rights Commission in which he has alleged illegal detention, mental harassment and violation of constitutional rights by the police. In the complaint, Bhatt has alleged that the police personnel had forcibly taken him from his residence in the early morning of Saturday, without any prior notice or legal procedure and kept him in illegal custody for nearly 12 hours.
According to the complaint submitted before the Commission, Bhatt stated that at around 4 a.m. on 23 May, a group of police personnel reached his residence at Shanti Vihar Phase-2 in Dehradun and allegedly entered the house without prior information or notice before taking him away forcibly. He alleged that the conduct of the police personnel during the incident left his wife and young children terrified and pushed the entire family into severe mental distress.
Bhatt stated that he was taken from one location to another ‘like a criminal’ and despite repeatedly asking the police officials about the grounds on which he had been detained, he was not provided with any satisfactory answer. He further alleged that the atmosphere created by the police personnel made it appear as though a serious criminal operation was being conducted against him. According to the complaint, neither any written notice nor any arrest-related or interrogation-related documents were provided to him during the entire episode.
The journalist further alleged that only after he was released did police officials orally inform him that an accused in a case registered at Nehru Colony police station had taken his name during questioning. Bhatt claimed that when he sought details or evidence regarding the allegations, no proof was provided to him by the police authorities.
In his complaint, Bhatt has asserted that the entire action amounted to a grave violation of the fundamental rights, personal liberty and human dignity guaranteed under the Constitution. He said the incident had caused irreparable damage to his social reputation and dignity as a journalist and that his family was now living in fear, stress and depression.
Bhatt, who stated in the complaint that he has been associated with independent journalism in Uttarakhand for nearly 17 years, said he had previously worked with media organisations including Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, India News, Samachar Plus and Hindi Khabar News Channel before joining Jai Bharat Digital Live Channel as chief correspondent.
He has demanded an independent and impartial inquiry into the entire matter and sought strict departmental and legal action against the police personnel concerned. He also urged the Commission to ensure accountability for actions allegedly carried out without following due legal procedure and to issue guidelines preventing such incidents against journalists and ordinary citizens in future.
It may be recalled that the issue has triggered resentment among the journalist fraternity in Dehradun, with several media-persons condemning the alleged police action. Garhwal Post had also published a news story in its Sunday edition, narrating the incident. The Opposition parties have also expressed concern over the incident and termed the police conduct inhuman. BJP MLA Arvind Pandey has also issued a video statement warning the police over the matter. It has further been claimed that no confirmed connection has emerged between Bhatt and alleged land mafia accused Pradeep Saklani, whose name was cited by the police while justifying the questioning of the journalist.
Speaking to Garhwal Post today, Bhatt said his wife and children remained deeply traumatised by the incident. He alleged that plainclothes police personnel not only mistreated him but also behaved improperly with his family members during the early morning operation. He said his young children were living in fear after the incident and announced that he would soon approach the Police Complaints Authority with a separate complaint. Bhatt further stated that if required, he and his family would stage a protest demanding justice.
It may also be reiterated that in a video message released on Saturday, SP City Pramod Kumar had claimed that Bhatt had been picked up for interrogation after a land mafia operator, Pradeep Saklani, had named him as involved. However, by the evening on Saturday, it clearly emerged that journalist Hem Bhatt had no links with Pradeep Saklani and then the Police termed the incident as a case of mistaken identity, also claiming that some other Hem Bhatt had been named by Saklani. However, it needs to be made clear that the Police have refrained from issuing any official statement regarding this nor any apology has been issued by the Police.
Journalists have meanwhile demanded direct intervention by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami into what they described as an irresponsible and excessive action by the Dehradun police. Some senior journalists are also holding meetings and making an attempt to meet CM Dhami who is in Khatima today and seek his intervention. They have termed the entire incident as undue harassment of a credible journalist without any shred of any evidence and as undue harassment of the media.
