On Wednesday evening, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) police arrested Editor-in-Chief and Chief Managing Editor of Sudarshan News, Suresh Chavhanke after an FIR was filed against him for inciting violence. The police arrested him from Amausi airport. He was supposed to reach Sambhal today to lead a protest rally. The area has remained tense for two weeks now after the locals attacked the police on March 29 while the police was out investigating alleged “cow smuggling” in Sambhal. 

Chavhanke has been booked under Sections 153 A(1), 295A and 505(1)B of the Indian Penal Code and also under section 16 of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1955. 

Chavhanke’s controversial show “Halla Bol” aired a series on Sambhal called “Kya Sambhal Kashmir Banaya Ja Raha Hai? (Is Sambhal becoming like Kashmir?)” and “Hari Mandir Ka Sach, Jama Masjid ka Jhooth (The truth of Hari Temple and the lie of Jama mosque).”

Reacting to the arrest, the Sudarshan News bureau put out an article with Chavhanke’s reaction to the arrest. He said that he was punished for hitting-out at stone-pelters. “Pattharbaazo ka khula samarthan karne wala koi ek bhi aaj tae chhua nahi gaya, maine pattharbaazo ka virodh kiya toh ye mili sazaa, (People who have supported stone-pelters have not been booked, and yet I am being punished for hitting out at them),” he said. 

Chavhanke was also accused of rape by one of his colleagues in November last year, however, despite the filing of an FIR, no arrest was made in this regard.