Assam FIR Targets Journalists, Ex-Governor, Pakistani Media Star
Wire journalists face sedition charges over Pahalgam attack coverage.
Assam Police have filed a controversial First Information Report (FIR) against senior journalists Siddharth Varadarajan and Karan Thapar of The Wire , alongside the late former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, Pakistani media personality Najam Sethi, and Indian journalist Ashutosh Bhardwaj. Filed on May 9 by Guwahati resident Biju Verma, the FIR accuses the group of undermining India’s sovereignty and security through articles and interviews published on The Wire following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
The FIR, registered under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 for sedition, along with charges of promoting enmity, spreading misinformation, and criminal conspiracy, alleges that The Wire’s content “erodes public confidence” in India’s armed forces and government. Specifically, it points to interviews hosted by Karan Thapar with Sethi, Bhardwaj, and Malik, claiming they blamed the Indian state for cross-border terrorism and portrayed Pakistani terrorists as “smarter.” Articles titled “To War or Not to War,” “Over-Propaganda,” “After Operation Sindoor,” “Bludgeoning Kashmir Is Not the Answer,” and “IAF Rafale Downed by Pakistan” are cited as evidence of narratives that allegedly weaken national morale and amplify hostile propaganda.
The complainant argues that featuring Sethi, a Pakistani journalist, adds an “international dimension” that risks depicting India’s democracy as oppressive, potentially validating anti-India narratives. The FIR further contends that such content, published in the wake of the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, compromises national security, undermines military credibility, and stokes public unrest during a crisis. It calls for strict legal action to protect India’s sovereignty.
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The Wire faced significant hurdles accessing the FIR, only obtaining it on August 20 after repeated attempts through the Assam Police website, courts, and local advocates. Summons were issued to Varadarajan and Thapar on August 12, requiring their appearance at the Guwahati Crime Branch on August 22. However, the Supreme Court intervened on August 22, granting interim protection from coercive action in this case and a prior Morigaon FIR against Varadarajan under similar charges. A separate FIR was filed against journalist Abhisar Sharma on August 21 for related allegations.
The case has sparked widespread concern among journalists and media watchdogs, who view it as an attempt to criminalize critical reporting. The Wire argues that such actions threaten press freedom, emphasizing the media’s duty to foster debate on national security issues. With 16 individuals, including a legislator and a journalist, arrested in Assam for alleged “seditious comments” post-Pahalgam, the crackdown signals heightened scrutiny of dissent. As legal battles continue, the FIR underscores tensions between free expression and national security in India’s evolving democratic landscape.
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