Overview

• On May 1, SP Asit Yadav invited Chouhan and Shashikant Jatav to his Bhind office where they and several other reporters were allegedly beaten and forced to strip.
• Chouhan’s critical coverage of illegal sand mining in the Chambal River reportedly provoked the SP to summon the journalists to his bungalow on May 4 and demand they drop assault claims.
• Police officers compelled the reporters on May 5 to record a video statement declaring the incident resolved and circulated it via WhatsApp to undermine their reputations.
• Fleeing to Delhi on May 19, Chouhan filed complaints with the Press Council of India and the National Human Rights Commission before seeking judicial relief.
• Justice Ravinder Dudeja directed Delhi Police to safeguard Chouhan for at least two months and to liaise with local beat and station officers while advising him to pursue a status report in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.