| News Details |
| DUJ Welcomes Supreme Court Notice to Delhi Police on Detention of Journalists | |
New Delhi, October 15 (Scoop News)-The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) welcomes the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India on Oct 15, 2026 to issue notices to the Delhi Police and the Union Government on our writ petition challenging the illegal detention, harassment and seizure of devices of journalists covering the protests at Jantar Mantar on 10th and 11th October, 2026.
Senior Advocate Mr. Chander Uday Singh appeared for the Delhi Union of Journalists before a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. Mr. Singh brought to the notice of the Court that journalists who were merely discharging their professional duties at Jantar Mantar were detained, in many cases hit and violently pushed into buses, and had their mobile phones, cameras and other reporting devices seized by the police without any legal authority.
Journalists' livelihood depends on these devices. They should be immediately released by the police, Mr. Singh argued. He submitted that such arbitrary seizure is in violation of the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court on search and seizure of journalistic devices and amounts to an attack on freedom of the press.
Justice Bagchi observed that there should not be any unauthorised seizures. Taking cognizance of the seriousness of the matter, the Supreme Court has issued notices to the respondents.
DUJ had contended that on 10th and 11th October, more than 40 journalists were detained at Jantar Mantar and surrounding areas while covering the protests, despite displaying their Press Cards and informing police that they were present in their professional capacity. Senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, who is a co-petitioner, was also among those detained. Journalists complained that their devices were seized and videos deleted, preventing them from filing stories and communicating with their families and offices.
This is not an isolated incident. There is a growing pattern of police targeting journalists who cover protests and criminalising journalistic work.
DUJ, in the petition, has demanded immediate return of all seized devices, protection of lawful reporting irrespective of accreditation; an independent and time-bound inquiry into the attacks on reporters, preservation of relevant evidence, including video recordings and appropriate action against erring officers as well as compensation to journalists who suffered injuries and damages to their professional equipment. DUJ has also sought safeguards for reporters covering public events, including women reporters. We have further urged that PIB accreditation must not be used as a pretext to stop field reporting by independent digital media journalists.
We thank Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh, Advocate on Record Shashank Singh and our legal team for bringing this urgent issue before the highest court.
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