Arrests – Journalists

Lalit Pokhrel Sharma, a research scholar at Sikkim University, who was arrested by Sikkim Police on the 10th of May over a Facebook Post, was released on bail on 12th May after strong protests were put up by several associations against the arrest.

He wasn’t arrested for any crime other than being a curious, concerned citizen. All Lalit Pokhrel had done was, tried to highlight the poor condition of a Quarantine Centre in JNV School, Pakyong by posting some pictures on facebook that were shared to him by his friend from the place.

The post attracted a lot of attention among the people, who started questioning the position of the administration on the issue. Realizing that the post had gone viral in no time, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate immediately filed an FIR on 9th May against Lalit Pokhrel along with Bishnu Dulal who had also shared the pictures, stating that the facebook posts were bereft of the fact and that the concerned parties should have verified the same with the authorities before sharing them over social media. Lalit Pokhrel was arrested under IPC 505/188/34 following the FIR on the 10th of May.