The Press Council of India (PCI) on Thursday sought a status report from the Assam government on the cases relating to the killing or disappearance of journalists in the state.
PCI chairman Chandramauli Kumar Prasad has taken suo-motu cognizance of the matter and sought report on alleged delay into investigations into 32 cases involving disappearance or killings of scribes in the state.
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The PCI move came following Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s distribution of ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of 32 journalists. The 32 journalists were either been killed or had gone missing over the last three decades in Assam.
PCI issued a statement in this regard and stated, “Concerned over the reports of inordinate delay in investigation and prosecution of 32 cases of murdered or missing journalists in Assam over the last three decades, PCI chairman Chandramauli Kumar Prasad has taken suo-motu cognisance of the matter and sought a status report from the chief secretary and Director General of Police of Assam on the cases.”
They have also been directed to file an action taken report on the recommendations of a committee on the safety of journalists which had been forwarded to them in 2015, the PCI statement added.
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