Journalist held, another booked for publishing ‘incorrect place’ of arrest of terrorist

A journalist was arrested and another was booked at Ambala Cantonment for allegedly mentioning "incorrect place" of arrest of a suspected terrorist, prompting the opposition to attack the Haryana government for "suppressing" freedom of press.

The case against reporter Sunil Brar and news editor Sandeep Sharma of Dainik Bhaskar was registered on Thursday under different sections of the IPC, police said, adding that Brar was taken into custody on Friday.

Efforts are on to nab Sharma, they said.

A suspected terrorist was arrested by Punjab Police on Wednesday over an alleged tiffin bomb plot from Mardon Sahib village of Ambala. The newspaper headline on the following day stated ‘Punjab police claims arrest of terrorist at Cantt from near IOC depot'.

The national daily published a correction the next day on the location from where the suspected terrorist was arrested.

SHO Ambala Cantt Vijay Kumar said the case against the journalists was registered as they published the news without any authentication. Journalists Sunil and Sandeep Sharma have created fear among the masses by publishing false news, he added.

Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the Congress, INLD, Haryana Democrat Front and BSP, criticised the arrest.

Senior Congress leader Rohit Jain said the arrest was made against the direction of Supreme Court. He said the police had not issued any prior notice to the journalist before arresting him.

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