Photo Journalist Informs Cops About Stone Pelting, Gets Arrested For 'Creating Nuisance, Spreading Infection'

Being a good samaritan backfired on a photo-journalist when Haryana Police arrested him on charges of 'creating nuisance' and 'spreading infection of dangerous disease" on May 7.

Naresh Khohal, a photojournalist with a Hindi daily in Haryana's Jhajjar town had informed the local police about an incident of stone-pelting in his neighbourhood on May 7. When the police were unable to reach the spot of violence, Khohal went to the station and returned with a team of Police.

Within a span of a few hours, the photojournalist was arrested on grounds of creating a nuisance and booked for "spreading infection of dangerous disease", violation of COVID-19 instructions and under Disaster Management Act, 2005.

The case was registered on the complaint of Sandeep Kumar, a head constable at Jhajjar City Police Station, The Indian Express reported.

An inquiry into the matter by IAS officer Uttam Singh revealed that the journalist was innocent and was held on wrong grounds as he had rightfully informed the police about the stone-pelting. It also led to the revelation that the policeman, who filed the complaint was not even authorised to lodge a complaint under the Disaster Management Act. Adding to this a government hospital doctor had issued a medical certificate, which police had used to frame the journalist even though the victim was not even taken for medical examination.

In a report submitted on May 26 to Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner Jitender Dahiya, inquiry officer Uttam Singh stated that FIR registered was inappropriate.

"We will take appropriate action after studying the report," said Sandeep Khirwar, ADGP, Rohtak range while speaking to The Indian Express. The Deputy Commissioner has sent the report to the police administration and Jhajjar civil surgeon for further action and has also ordered a probe into the matter after several journalists complained of the same torture Khohal was subjected to for reporting unrest in his neighbourhood.

"When the police did not reach the spot, I went to the police station on my motorcycle and returned to the spot with them. Police took me too to the thana for questioning. I was taken to the hospital too for medical examination. A police official, head constable Sandeep Kumar, said that my medical examination has been conducted. However, I was not even produced before the doctor," the journalist told Uttam Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Jhajjar.

Refuting the victim's claims, the police said that they had arrested Khohal along with a local resident, Vivek, for creating a nuisance in a drunken stupor and were also without masks, therefore, violating instructions issued by the deputy commissioner regarding COVID-19.

Terming the journalist's statement false, SHO Roshan Lal in his statement to the inquiry officer denied all charges levelled against him and said that the medical examination of Khohal was conducted at the civil hospital.

The IAS officer examined the CCTV cameras of the hospital which revealed that Khohal did not enter the doctor's room, and the medical certificate was issued without following the procedure.

On the basis of call recordings, the inquiry officer established that the Khohal had complained to police about the stone-pelting and was indeed threatened to be declared a proclaimed offender if he failed to turn up at the local police station.

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