The Press Club of India (PCI) has condemned the West Bengal Police’s decision to file an FIR against Maktoob Media over its reporting on the alleged exclusion of Muslim IAS and IPS officers from meetings during Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visits to the state. In a statement dated September 26, the PCI called the FIR “an attack on press freedom and part of the pattern to attempt to stop any independent journalism in the country.”

The FIR concerns a social media post relating to allegations first made public by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra that senior Muslim officers were sidelined from official meetings because of their religion. According to the PCI, these allegations have been reported widely, but there has “been no official denial” from authorities, yet the police went ahead and filed the case regardless.

According to The Wire, the case was registered at Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station on September 19, following a written complaint by Saurav Banerjee, and cites posts on X and YouTube from Maktoob’s official channels. Although the case names an ‘UnknownPerson 1’, its contents refer directly to Maktoob’s social media posts and invoke several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita concerning alleged promotion of enmity, outrage of religious feelings, statements causing public mischief, and defamation. 

Maktoob has said it was not informed by the police of the FIR and only learnt of it through a communication from X, which stated that the police had sought account creation, login and Android device details for the handle @MaktoobMedia.

In its statement, the PCI argued that reporting serious allegations of this nature is journalism’s job, and that targeting Maktoob for doing so “cannot be justified”, particularly since independent constitutional authorities have themselves taken cognisance of the claims. The National Commission for Minorities, for instance, has taken cognisance of the matter based on Moitra’s complaint and sought a response from the West Bengal government. Moitra has also written publicly to Maktoob, asking the outlet to “not bow to [Bengal Police]’s bullying and FIRs.”

Maktoob founding editor Aslah Kayyalakkath struck a similar note on X, thanking Moitra for her support and stating that the outlet had “not taken down any story or post about the allegation.” He linked to further context on the FIR and noted that Meta had removed the outlet’s posters on Muslim exclusion from Instagram in India the previous week, though Maktoob had reuploaded them. He added that an FIR “won't silence us or make our reporting disappear,” pointing readers to Maktoob’s subscription page.

The PCI has urged the West Bengal Police to withdraw the FIR immediately and ensure that journalists are able to do their job without fear.

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