2 women journalists detained over Tripura report granted bail

New Delhi, Nov 15: Two women journalists detained on purported charges of publishing false news aimed at disrupting communal harmony, have been granted bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in the Gomati district of Tripura.

Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha, journalists with HW News Network, were named in a FIR at Fatikroy Police Station of Tripura on Sunday based on a complaint filed by a supporter of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), alleging that they had maligned the image of Tripura government by their reporting, according to a statement issued by their employer.

The duo are being kept at a government-run shelter home for women for the night and will be handed over to the Tripura police on Monday morning, an Assam police officer said.

The two scribes were held by Assam Police on their way to Silchar airport later on Sunday, with Assam Police informing them that they were being held as "Tripura Police asked (Assam Police) to detain them (the duo)'."

In a tweet, Sakunia wrote, "We have been detained at the Nilambazar police station, Karimganj, Assam. We were informed by the officer-in-charge of Nilambazar PS that SP of Gomti District gave the orders for our detention."