GUWAHATI: The brother of an Assam journalist who was arrested recently while reporting a protest has been arrested in Hojai district on the charges of land grabbing, forgery, and criminal breach of trust.
Taibur Rahman Mozumder was arrested on Tuesday, confirmed Hojai Superintendent of Police Saurabh Gupta, adding that he was brought to the Hojai police station after a case was registered against him.
Taibur Rahman Mozumder is the brother of veteran journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, who was arrested last week while covering a protest against a suspected fake at Assam Cooperative Apex Bank.
The journalist, who is also the assistant general secretary of the Gauhati Press Club, was arrested on the basis of complaints lodged by a bank official and the bank's managing director. He has, however, managed to get bail in both cases.
Dilwar Hussain Mozumder’s arrest triggered widespread protests across Assam and beyond, with media organisations and human rights activists questioning the legality and necessity of police action against a journalist performing his duties.
The situation has ignited a debate on press freedom and police conduct in the state.
In the midst of the scandal, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused the entire Mozumder family of illegal land transactions.
He also accused Taibur Rahman Mozumder of being arrested earlier in 2021 on the same charges and having a charge sheet already filed against him.
Even with these accusations, Sarma noted that Mozumder continued to work as a government school teacher without suspension, suggesting that he had significant influence.
The chief minister also repeated his position regarding Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, rejecting him as a businessman instead of a journalist. He asserted that Mozumder was involved in the dumper business and did not have the credibility or the journalism qualifications.
Sarma claimed that if the people of Hojai were asked, they would attest that the family was deeply involved in illegal land brokering.
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