FIR against 4 journalists for 'sting operation' on Gujarat police

Police have registered an FIR against four journalists of a Gujarati newspaper for allegedly entering a police station in Rajkot to carry out a 'sting operation' and obstructing police personnel from conducting their duties, an official said.

The journalists, three reporters and a photographer, entered the Rajkot taluka police station on the night of December 1 for the alleged 'sting operation' in connection with a fire at a Covid-19 hospital in Rajkot in which five patients died on November 27, he said.

The four journalists allegedly entered the prohibited area without due permission, the official from Rajkot taluka police station said.

On December 2, a news report along with photographs was published in the newspaper, saying three accused arrested in the hospital fire tragedy were given VIP treatment and kept in a police staff room, instead of the lockup, he said.

The journalists also shot some videos of the police station and circulated them on various social media platforms, he said.

The three accused in the fire incident were brought to the Rajkot taluka police station on November 30, and were taken to a separate room for questioning and not given any VIP treatment, the official said.

An FIR was registered on Friday against the four journalists under Indian Penal Code Sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 114 (abettor present when offence committed), and provisions of the Information Technology Act, the official said.

No arrest has been made so far, he added.