GUWAHATI: Senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder was granted bail in the second case filed against him by the Chief judicial Magistrate's court on Friday, March 28, a day after his rearrest in connection with allegations of trespassing and attempted theft at Assam Co-operative Apex Bank’s headquarters at Panbazar in Guwahati.
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However, Mozumder will have to remain in judicial custody until he furnishes the bail bond, which is likely to happen on Saturday, March 29.
Mozumder was arrested on March 25 on the charge of insulting a Scheduled Tribe staff of the Assam Co-operative Apex Bank among other charges. He was granted bail on March 26, and released from jail on March 27 only to be rearrested in another case.
According to an FIR filed by the bank’s Managing Director, D. Saikia, in the second case Mozumder allegedly entered the first floor of the bank’s head office in Panbazar on March 25 at around 12:30 PM and attempted to steal crucial documents. At the time, he was covering a protest demonstration against alleged corruption in the bank.
His legal counsel, Advocate A. Sabur Tapadar, confirmed to GPlus that Mozumdar has been granted bail. Further investigation into the case is underway.
Earlier in the day, the Assam Civil Society and the Assam Film Fraternity issued separate statements, demanding the unconditional release of the journalist, who was re-arrested on Thursday despite securing bail in another case.
Expressing concern over the journalist’s re-arrest, the Assam Civil Society called the arrest a "direct attack on the media and freedom of speech." The organisation further warned the government against suppressing press freedom and vowed to stand in solidarity with journalists facing state action.
The statement also alleged that the authorities' actions following the Apex Bank corruption allegations indicate an attempt to suppress the issue. The civil society groups demanded a high-level investigation into the alleged scam.
Similarly, the Film Fraternity of Assam also voiced strong opposition to Mozumder’s back-to-back arrests, calling the move "unfortunate for both the media and the democratic system."
