Overview

• An FIR was filed on July 13 at the Ballia police station under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Representation of Peoples Act, accusing Ajit Anjum of criminal trespass, disobeying lawful orders, obstructing officials and provoking communal discord.
• The complaint lodged by booth-level officer Mohammad Ansarulhaq alleges that Anjum questioned him about Muslim voters and disrupted the Special Intensive Revision process during his July 12 coverage in Sahebpur Kamal.
• Anjum has denied the allegations, described the BLO as a scapegoat, and vowed to challenge the FIR all the way to the Supreme Court.
• The Begusarai district administration dismissed Anjum’s claims of voter-roll irregularities as baseless and warned that he would bear responsibility for any unrest arising from his reporting.
• The Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps and other journalism bodies have decried the FIR as an assault on press freedom and urged authorities to safeguard independent reporting.