Devinderpal Singh: A journalist working in Punjabi Tribune, has alleged that he was kept in illegal custody and mistreated by Chandigarh Police on April 18. Davinderpal said around 4 pm on Saturday while he was walking to his office in Sector 29 from his Sector 27 home, a police vehicle stopped right beside him near Sector 29-30 light point and the officer sitting inside, who Davinderpal identified as SHO of Industrial Area Police Station, rudely asked him why was he outside during curfew.
Davinderpal said he told the officer he was a journalist, going to his workplace and showed him his identity card. Davinderpal alleged that the officer started abusing him and asked him to get into the vehicle. After getting into the vehicle, Davinderpal said he messaged his colleagues and senior police officers informing them about his plight.
Later, at the police station, Daviderpal said he was made to sit on the floor and was only released after 45 minutes when the SHO started getting calls from his seniors asking him to release the journalist. Following the incident, Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Union issued the following statement:
“Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Union strongly condemn the manhandling and rude behaviour of Chandigarh police with Devinder Pal, the senior journalist of Tribune Group and also demand the action should be taken against the concerned police officials responsible for the episode. The President Balwinder Singh Jammu , Secretary General Pritam Rupal , Secretary Jai Singh Chhibber of Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Union and Secretary General Bindu Singh of Chandigarh Unit said that the senior Journalist was forcibly dragged into the vehicle by the police officials last evening when he was on his way to office. Police had misbehaved with the journalist despite of showing the identity card.
The union leaders said that mediapersons were also among the frontlines in fight against the present situation of pandemic. Taking in view the ongoing situation , the behaviour and action of the police was highly condemnable , the leaders added. The leaders of Punjab and Chandigarh Union demanded that the Director General of Chandigarh Police must intervene into the matter and action should be taken against the officials involved. Furthermore , The member of Press Council of India and president Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Union Balwinder Singh Jammu said that the matter would be taken up with the Press Council.”
Chandigarh Press Club today condemned Chandigarh Police for unlawful detention of journalist
Chandigarh Press Club today condemned Chandigarh Police for unlawful detention of journalist Davinder Pal while he was on his way to The Tribune office in Sector 29 on April 18. Davinder, who works for Punjabi Tribune, was going to his office yesterday at around 4.30 pm when the SHO of Industrial Area, Phase I, stopped him at the crossing of Sector 29-30 and unlawfully detained him on the pretext of violating curfew rules.
Devinder was carrying his identity card and even had the curfew pass, but despite both documents, he was taken to Industrial Area, Phase I, police station and illegally detained for almost one hour before he was allowed to go. Condemning the police action, Chandigarh Press Club is taking up the matter with the UT Administrator VPS Badnore, so that guilty official could be brought to the book and directions be issued to the police that no such incident takes place in future.
The Club is also sending a representation to the Punjab Chief Minister and Haryana Chief Minister to apprise authorities concerned in the districts to let media, which is an essential service, to perform their duty.
Chandigarh Police on Sunday ordered an inquiry into the incident of illegal detention/harassment of journalist
Chandigarh Police on Sunday ordered an inquiry into the incident of illegal detention/ harassment of journalist Davinderpal Singh yesterday. The inquiry has been marked to Ombir Singh Bishnoi, DIG, UT, Chandigarh to ascertain the details and the facts behind the incident. Earlier, a deputation of journalists based at Chandigarh met DGP Chandigarh Police and demanded action against the accused SHO and cops. DGP assured them that the matter will be probed thoroughly.
