Kerala TV crew booked for clicking photos of accused in train arson case

The Mathrubhumi News team was booked on charges such as criminal intimidation, wrongful restraint and causing disappearance of evidence.

The FIR said that on the night of April 5, when Saifi was being brought from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra to Kozhikode, the TV channel team waylaid the police vehicle between Bhatkal and Udupi in Karnataka and took photographs of the accused as well as the accompanying police personnel. (Representational photo: Wikimedia Commons/Captain)

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Police have booked a Mathrubhumi News crew for allegedly photographing Shahrukh Saifi, the accused in the April 2 train arson case, while he was being brought to Kerala from Maharashtra after his arrest.

Two days ago, the government suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) P Vijayan pending a probe into the alleged leak of travel details of the police team involved in Saifi’s transit.

A section of police officers in Kerala believe Vijayan, who was the Kerala ATS chief until his removal on April 27, was behind the leak.

According to an FIR registered on April 30, a police vehicle carrying Saifi was en route to Kozhikode on April 5 when the Mathrubhumi crew waylaid it between Bhatkal and Udupi in Karnataka, and clicked pictures of Saifi and the police personnel.

When the police tried to move away, the news crew chased the vehicle in an SUV, causing the police team to fear for their lives, the FIR added.

The FIR, registered following a complaint lodged by DSP Abdul Rahim, does not name the accused persons.

Sources, however, said police personnel probing the case seized the mobile phones of three Mathrubhumi staff, including a reporter, and also tried to take the team vehicle in their custody.

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The case regarding the incident was registered under sections 342 (wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty) 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (criminal act by several persons in furthering common interest) of the Indian Penal Code.

Mathrubhumi News sources said the news crew appeared before the investigating officer after notices were severed to them.

“We have written to the DGP to take steps to hand over the mobile phones seized from our team. It is illegal, against media freedom and infringes on the privacy of the individuals,” a channel source said.

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