Guwahati: The Guwahati Crime Branch has issued a notice to Siddharth Varadarajan, the founding editor of The Wire, instructing him to appear before it for questioning.
The veteran journalist has been summoned in connection with a case filed under several sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
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The notice, dated August 12, 2025, directs Varadarajan to appear before the investigating officer at the Crime Branch police station in Panbazar on August 22, 2025, at 11:30 AM. Issued under Section 35(3) of the BNSS, the summons states there are “reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain the facts and circumstances” related to the ongoing investigation of FIR/Case No. 03/2025.
The case includes charges under multiple sections of the new criminal code: Section 152 (acts that endanger India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity), Section 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, or language), Section 197(1)(d) (making or publishing false or misleading information that jeopardizes India’s sovereignty, unity, integrity, or security), Section 3(6) (criminal acts committed with specific criminal knowledge or intent), Section 353 (statements that lead to public mischief), Section 45 (abetment of a criminal act), and Section 61 (criminal conspiracy).
The notice, signed by Inspector Soumarjyoti Ray of the Crime Branch, outlines standard directions for such a summons.
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When contacted, Inspector Ray declined to share details about the FIR, stating, “I cannot share details of the case and on what basis the FIR was registered. Please speak to the DCP (Crime Branch) regarding the FIR,” Ray told Northeast Now.
Debajit Nath, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), was unavailable for comment.
On August 12, the Supreme Court granted Varadarajan interim protection from arrest in a separate case filed by the Assam Police regarding an article on Operation Sindoor.
The article, published by The Wire, led to a case registered under Section 152 and other offenses under the BNSS at the Morigaon Police Station.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi issued a notice to the central government on a plea by the Foundation for Independent Journalism, which operates The Wire. The foundation’s plea challenges the constitutional validity of the new provision, arguing that it revives the colonial-era sedition law, Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).