Journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumdar freed after controversial arrest, pledges to keep reporting on corruption

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 29, 2025

Journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumdar walked out of Guwahati Central Jail on Saturday evening, five days after his arrest sparked widespread outrage among journalists, activists, and civil society groups. His release was hailed as a significant moment in the fight for press freedom in Assam.

Mozumdar, who is the assistant general secretary of the Guwahati Press Club and a reporter for The Cross Current, was granted bail on Friday by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Hirok Jyoti Das. The court rejected the police’s request for five more days of custody, instead approving his release on a Rs 20,000 security bond. However, administrative delays kept him in jail overnight before he was finally freed.

Addressing reporters outside the jail, Mozumdar thanked those who supported him. “I am grateful to every citizen and journalist who stood by me during this crisis. A special thanks to the legal team that fought my case without charging a single rupee. Their efforts ensured justice,” he said.

Mozumdar, arrested while covering protests at the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank, made it clear that his detention would not deter him from questioning those in power. “Everyone knows why I was arrested—because I asked tough questions about corruption. No matter what happens, I will continue to report the truth,” he asserted.

He also maintained that his journalism had always been ethical. “I have never engaged in anything illegal or immoral, and I never will. I fully cooperated with the police, who searched my home and seized personal documents, including my HSLC and LLB certificates, as well as my mobile phone, laptop, and computer. The case is now sub judice, and I will speak further at the right time,” he added.

Mozumdar described the night of his arrest, recalling how he reassured his children when police raided his home. “My daughters woke up when the officers arrived. I told them these were my friends from the media and that I would be going with them,” he said.

His detention led to protests across Assam, with many seeing it as an attack on press freedom. Mozumdar was first arrested under Case No. 110/25, which included charges under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, along with sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). After securing bail, he was re-arrested in a separate case—Panbazar Police Station Case No. 111/25—on multiple bailable charges. His back-to-back arrests intensified concerns over the government’s treatment of journalists.

On Saturday afternoon, leftist parties CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), and Forward Bloc staged a protest at Club Rotary, Guwahati. Led by Tapan Sarma (CPI-M), Pankaj Kumar Das (CPI-ML), and Jayanta Das (CPI), the demonstration condemned what they called the BJP government’s “arbitrary actions” and demanded a transparent probe into alleged corruption at the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank.

Guwahati Press Club President Sushmita Goswami reaffirmed the media’s commitment to stand together. “Dilwar walks out of custody! Released on bail, finally! More strength to journalist unity. Thanks to all for the show of solidarity. Our fight for the safety and rights of journalists continues,” she said.