Newslaundry reporter and others covering protest against clean chit to #RanjanGogoi at SC detained

The Delhi Police on Tuesday detained several people protesting outside the Supreme Court against the clean chit given to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in the sexual harassment case. Journalists covering the protest, including Newslaundry correspondent Gaurav Sarkar, have also been detained. Those detained have been taken to the Mandir Marg Police Station.

Newslaundry reporter was detained for taking a video of police personnel pushing and manhandling protesters. This was despite Sarkar presented his press card. Along with Sarkar, the police also detained the protester whose video Sarkar was recording. The police told Sarkar that his verification will be done once they reach the Mandir Marg Police Station. While Sarkar was released after being for 30 minutes, other protesters are yet to be released.

The protest to oppose the clean chit given to Gogoi was set to begin at 10.30 am. On the opposite side of the road, outside the gates of Supreme Court, at least 50 police officers were deployed.

When protestors held up placards and started shouting slogans, police vans were brought around. Protesters, including women, were pushed, manhandled and detained. So far, two rounds of such detainment have taken place.

Sarkar was taking videos of these detainments when the cops shouted at him: “Isko bhi andar daalo [put him away as well].” “I said I’m from the press. The cop said show your ID card. I showed. He still pushed me into the back of the jeep, along with the person they were taking away. I again said I’m from the press. He said, ‘Woh wahaan jaake verify karna padega [It’ll have to be verified]’,” Sarkar told the Newslaundry team in a series of WhatsApp messages.