Assam Police Action in Invoking Sedition Law Against Journalists in Second Case Legally Unsustainable

To put it gently, it was definitely most astounding, anguishing and appalling to see that on August 12, 2025, the Supreme Court had issued notice on "The Wire's" newspaper petition challenging the constitutionality of the new sedition law and protected its journalists, including founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan, who earlier worked with the prestigious "The Hindu" newspaper, from any "coercive action" by the Assam police.

- SANJEEV SIROHI

A case filed in Morigaon in July took a shocking turn as the Guwahati Crime Branch summoned Siddharth Varadarajan and senior journalist Karan Thapar in a fresh second 'sedition' FIR case filed by the state police amid controversy over an article published pertaining to "Operation Sindoor," which is undoubtedly legally unsustainable.

It must be disclosed that the summons was received at "The Wire's" office in New Delhi on August 14. On August 18, an identical summons was received for Karan Thapar for the same FIR. The summons for Siddharth Varadarajan was issued by police inspector Soumarjyoti Ray under Section 35(3), BNSS, referring to an FIR (03/2025) registered at the Crime Branch, Panbazar, Guwahati, under Sections 152, 196, 197(1)(D)/3(6), 353, 45, and 61.