Police action against Madhyamam, reporter violates press freedom: Chief Editor
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The police action against the Malayalam news daily Madhyamam and Aniru Asokan, a reporter with the daily’s bureau in Thiruvananthapuram, over a report about the alleged data leak from the state Public Service Commission (PSC), is nothing but an infringement upon the freedom of the press, said Madhyamam chief editor O Abdurahiman.
The police action summoning the reporter and urging disclosure of the source of the details related to the PSC data leak sparked protests by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), which organised marches to the offices of the state police chief and various district police officials on Tuesday.
The news report, published in the Malayalam daily Madhyamam on July 28, highlighted an alleged leak of job applicants' data, reportedly available on the dark web. The article, accompanied by an image of a PSC agenda document described as “highly secret” by the police, has become the focal point of the investigation.
The Crime Branch initiated a probe into how the document was obtained following a complaint by PSC Secretary Saju George.
As part of the inquiry, notices were issued to the daily’s editor and the reporter responsible for the article, based in Thiruvananthapuram. The editor was directed to provide details of the report under BNSS Section 94, with a 48-hour deadline to respond. Subsequently, the reporter was asked to surrender his mobile phone within two days.
The probe has raised concerns about press freedom, with the daily’s leadership asserting that the investigation constitutes an infringement on journalistic rights. The newspaper has resolved to contest the police actions through legal channels.
KUWJ’s protests have drawn attention to the broader implications of the case for press independence and confidentiality of journalistic sources. The organisation has voiced its discontent with the police action, underlining the challenges faced by the media in reporting sensitive matters.
The police action has also triggered wider protests across the socio-political spectrum, with Opposition parties and the BJP also joining the criticism against the government's actions infringing press freedom.