Lawfare – Journalist

Mr. Chaurasia is a journalist based out of the Balrampur district of Chhattisgarh and working as a reporter with Clipper 28, a print and online news portal.

On April 21, 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Mr. Chaurasia received a tip-off about some migrant workers walking on the Barkhapala highway in the Balrampur district. When he asked the workers, he was told that they were being allowed after bribing the police. He recorded the conversation as video in a digital camera intending to file a news report.

Police personnel present at the spot noticed it, they assaulted him and confiscated his phone. After this incident, Mr. Chaurasia tried to file a formal complaint in the local police station about the incident but it was not filed. Mr. Chaurasia later got to know that a case had been registered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code at the Basantpur Police Station. Mr. Chaurasia complained to the Inspector General of Police, Ambikapur Range, in writing on May 29, 2020, demanding penal action against the erring police officials.

On May 18, 2021, Mr. Chaurasia called Wadrafnagar Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) to inquire about his case. The SDPO informed him that the case was fabricated and asked him to visit the police station. When he reached the police station, the officer asked him to pay Rs. 50,000 as a bribe or else he will be arrested in the pending case. He was allowed to leave only after paying Rs. 5,000 to the officer.