Guwahati, December 15 (MExN): TheNetwork of Women in Media, India (NWMI) is deeply concerned about thecontinuing threat to a Guwahati-based woman journalist. According to the womanjournalist, on December 1 evening, Aniruddha Bhakat Chutya, a reporter withRepublic TV, in collusion with one of his associates abducted the journalist,confined her in his house by tying her to a chair, attempted to commit rape, threatenedand criminally intimidated her with a knife and attempted to strangle her. Healso sexually harassed her by touching her private parts, she said. The womanjournalist has provided details of the assault, including photographs ofinjuries sustained and shared a copy of the FIR to members of the NWMI.
The FIR was filed in Dispur PS(Case No. 3637/2018) under IPC sections 341/342/354/325/506. However, Section362 relating to abduction has not been included.
Further, the accused who isknown to the complainant has some audio recordings of past telephonicconversations between them. Given his intimidatory behavior, it is likely thathe will misuse these by posting them out of context on social media, causinggreat distress to the complainant, who has made it clear on several occasionsthat she does not want to associate with the accused.
It is a matter of graveconcern that the accused – who lives in her neighborhood – continues to stalkand threaten the woman. She told the NWMI that the intimidation was severelyrestricting her movements and affecting her professional work. As he is not incustody, there is every likelihood that the accused could tamper with evidenceor hamper the investigation, she fears.
It is also to be noted thatproper identification of the associate who assisted him in committing the crimehas not yet been carried out. There is also every reason to believe that moregrave assaults on the woman journalist could follow, especially given the lackof seriousness in the investigation thus far.
The woman journalist also toldmembers of the NWMI that the accused, Chutya has threatened her with an acidattack. Given his history of stalking, threatening with a weapon, kidnap andattempted rape, is a realistic possibility, she fears. Chutya has also boastedto the complainant that the police are “in his hands” and will do nothing forher.
The complainant has repeatedlybrought these developments to the notice of the concerned police and also thePolice Commissioner. The NWMI, too, has written to the Police Commissioner,urging him to speed up the investigation, take the accused into custody andprovide security for the complainant.
Through all of this, RepublicTV has been silent, and has taken no action whatsoever against its employee,who continues to pose a threat to professional colleague.
The NWMI demands that: A thorough investigation into the crime be carried out, and the accused is taken into custody in order to provide relief to the aggrieved woman journalist from threats and stalking; Necessary steps to ensure her protection be taken at the earliest; Republic TV must launch an investigation into the misconduct and criminal behaviour of its employee and take necessary action against him.
