New Delhi: Expressing “deep concern” the Editors Guild of India has condemned the the Unique Identification Authority of India’s decision to have a reporter booked over a story on how anonymous users accessed Aadhaar details and sold them for a fee.
It also demanded that the case against the reporter withdrawn and an impartial investigation done into the matter. Other media bodies, the Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Association have also condemned the UIDAI step and termed it as an “attempt to gag the media”.
Rachna Khaira, a reporter from The Tribune, was booked under sections 419 (punishment for cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery) and 471 (using forged document) of the Indian Penal Code, section 66 of the IT Act, and section 36/37 of the Aadhaar Act.
“The Editors Guild of India is deeply concerned over reports that the deputy director of the UIDAI had registered an FIR against Rachna Khaira, a reporter of The Tribune, in the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police,” a statement released by the Guild stated.
“The Guild condemns UIDAI’s action to have the reporter booked by the police as it is clearly meant to browbeat a journalist whose investigation on the matter was of great public interest,” it added.
Meanwhile, UIDAI on Sunday said that it respects free speech, including freedom of press, and its police complaint should not be viewed as “shooting the messenger”.
Justifying its stance, UIDAI said criminal proceedings have been initiated as it was an act of unauthorised access.
