Bastar journalists' arrest in cannabis case in AP sparks outcry, Chhattisgarh scribes demand CBI probe

RAIPUR: Four TV journalists from Bastar have been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act by Andhra Pradesh police in the Chhattisgarh-AP border area of the Maoist-insurgency-hit Bastar region. This has triggered demands for a CBI inquiry from journalists across the region, who allege that the arrests are a false implication orchestrated by police officers from both states colluding with the sand mafia operating in the remote tribal area.

The incident occurred last Sunday when four journalists from Bastar—Bappi Ray, Dharmendra Singh, Manish Singh, and Nishu Trivedi—were visiting the Konta region, known for illegal sand mining activities. The AP police allegedly recovered cannabis from their vehicle and detained the journalists along with two other individuals, accusing them of smuggling.

Following the detention, Bastar journalists met with Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range P Sundarraj, alleging that the sand mafia, in collusion with Sukma police and their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh, had planted the cannabis in their vehicle to implicate them in a non-bailable NDPS case.

Initially, an inquiry was conducted by the Bastar police, leading to the suspension of Konta town inspector Ajay Sonkar and the registration of an FIR against him for causing grievous hurt to extort a confession. Sonkar is now being produced in court.

Sukma superintendent of police Kiran Chavan said that based on the complaints of suspicion over Sonkar’s involvement in the matter, an investigation committee was constituted and in the probe it was found that Ajay Sonkar had tried to seize the CCTV footage of the whole event in his possession, following which, an FIR was lodged against him. He was arrested and suspended.

Meanwhile, S. Karimuddin, senior journalist and one of the founders of the Bastar Patrakar Sangh, said that over 135 journalists from all seven Bastar districts on Tuesday held a joint meeting at the Bastar District Journalists' Association office in Jagdalpur. They expressed serious concern over the alleged framing of journalists in the cannabis trafficking case and condemned what they called a “disgraceful conspiracy” involving the Sukma police.

The meeting decided to submit a memorandum to Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister and home minister Vijay Sharma during his Independence Day visit to Jagdalpur, demanding a CBI probe into the entire case. The journalists resolved to give the govt three days to act on this demand. If no orders for a CBI investigation are issued, they will launch a state-level protest to highlight how journalists in sensitive areas are being falsely imprisoned to protect the sand and other mafias operating in the Maoist-affected region.