Journos condemn top cop's action

Rajkot, Jan 6: The Rajkot District Media Association today strongly opposed city Police Commissioner Geetha Johri’s action against scribes of a leading daily news paper for publishing a photo of hers dancing in a party, on the eve of the New Year.

Kana Batwa (editor), Aniruddh Nakum (reporter) and Prakash Ravrani (phtographer) of the daily have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The dispute between the scribes and the city police commissioner began on December 30 at a city-based club where photographers of various news papers were invited.

The police commissioner was caught in the camera while dancing and the photo was published by a couple of newspapers. The commissioner had also allegedly slapped the photographer to stop him from clicking her picture.

On the police commissioner’s direction, police booked the trio under various sections of the IPC on January 4.

However, journalists from various newspapers and news channels gathered at the circuit house today and marched to the police commissioner office and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Police R M Pandey.

Kana Batwa the editor of the daily termed the police commissioner’s action as “fabricated” and said she was trying to suppress media’s voice.

Police authorities said, ‘The trio have already secured anticipatory bail but have not been arrested’.

PTI