Supreme Court Seeks Response From Madhya Pradesh On Journalists' Plea Alleging Police Assault Over Sand Mafia Report
Court issued notice to the State government while agreeing to hear the plea filed by journalists Shashikant Goyal and Amarkant Singh Chouhan on June 9;
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Madhya Pradesh government on a petition filed by two journalists who alleged they were assaulted inside a police station for reporting on the activities of the sand mafia in the state.
The Bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma issued notice to the state government while agreeing to hear the plea filed by journalists Shashikant Goyal and Amarkant Singh Chouhan.
During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioners urged the Court to grant interim protection from arrest, citing concerns over their safety and alleged police intimidation following their investigative reporting.
"Let the other side respond. Let the facts be brought by the state also," the Bench said.
The matter will be taken up for hearing on June 9.
About the Petition
A Writ Petition under Article 32 of the Constitution has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking urgent protection for two journalists, Shashikant Jatav and Amarkant Singh Chouhan, who have alleged custodial assault, kidnapping, and caste-based abuse by senior police officials in Madhya Pradesh.
According to the petition, the incident occurred on May 1 after the journalists reported on illegal sand mining operations in the Chambal river region. The mining activities were allegedly being carried out with the connivance of local police, prompting retaliation from the authorities.
The journalists claim they were summoned by Superintendent of Police (SP) Yadav under the pretext of having tea. Upon arrival at his chambers, they found several other journalists stripped down to their undergarments and allegedly being physically assaulted. Jatav and Chouhan allege they were also assaulted in custody.
The plea states that Shashikant Jatav, a member of the Scheduled Caste ‘Jatav’ community, was subjected to casteist slurs and beaten with slippers on the instructions of SP Yadav. The petition argues that these acts constitute serious violations of constitutional protections under Articles 14, 15, and 21, as well as offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The journalists further contend that they cannot safely approach the Madhya Pradesh High Court due to ongoing threats and harassment from Bhind police, which allegedly extends to their families.
Case Title: Shashikant Jatav @ Shashikant Goyal & Anr. v. State of Madhya Pradesh