Tripura cops start questioning 2 women journalists after court gives them bail

Tripura information and cultural affairs minister Sushanta Chowdhury claimed the two journalists were “agents” of a political party.

A day after a Tripura court granted bail to two women journalists arrested on charges of spreading communal hatred, the police questioned the two journalists, Samriddhi K Sakuna and Swarna Jha, till late on Tuesday evening.

Journalists Samriddhi K Sakunia and Swarna Jha, employed with Delhi-based news channel HW News Network, were arrested by Tripura police in the early hours of Monday (ANI)

“Their questioning is still going on, “ a police officer at Kakraban police station said at 8.30pm on Tuesday. The two walked into the police station to appear for questioning at about 2.30pm. “They have cooperated with us,” the officer said.

Journalists Samriddhi K Sakunia and Swarna Jha, employed with Delhi-based news channel HW News Network, were arrested by Tripura police in the early hours of Monday for alleged criminal conspiracy and spread of communal hatred while reporting on the October 26 violence.

The two journalists came to Tripura on November 11 for a ground report on the alleged vandalism of religious structures. Later on November 14, two cases were lodged against them at Kakraban police station in Gomati district and Fatikroy police station in Unakoti District.

Soon after the two journalists were released on bail, Tripura information and cultural affairs minister Sushanta Chowdhury claimed the two journalists were “agents” of a political party who came to create a communal riot-like situation by instigating people through fake footage and to malign the state.

“These two people, who identified themselves as journalists, actually came here as agents of a political party and tried to create communal riot-like situation in the state. They even tried to incite a section of people against our government. I doubt they are journalists,” he told reporters.

Reacting to the statement, Trinamool Congress leader Sushmita Dev said, “ I don’t know who they ( BJP) indicated. The religious violence started here with the BJP coming to power. If they claim that there is no such incident, then they should invite some journalists here to see for themselves. And moreover, they adopted the Gujarat model in Tripura and not Bengal. It’s because the Bengal model means development".