Scribe faces sedition charge for FB cartoon against govt, judiciary

RAIPUR:A KAMAL SHUKLA, ALSO A TRIBAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, SAID IN ANOTHER POST THAT THE FB CARTOON PERTAINED TO THE MYSTERY SURROUNDING DEATH OF JUDGE LOYA

Bastar-based journalist involved in tribal rights activism was booked under the sedition law on Sunday for allegedly posting a cartoon lampooning the country’s judiciary and the government on Facebook.

A case against Kamal Shukla has been registered at the Katwali police station in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district.

“We booked Shukla under Section 124-A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code on the basis of a complaint filed by a Rajasthan resident. The case was handed to us by the cyber cell in Raipur. An investigation is on, and appropriate action will be taken soon,” Kanker superintendent of police KL Dhruv told Hindustan Times.

Shukla, the editor of Bhumkaal Samachar, is known for his stand against fake encounters in the Bastar region. He also writes for several local and national news portals, and heads an organisation – the Patrakar Suraksha Kanoon Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti – that seeks to have a law protecting the journalists.

The SP confirmed that the case pertained to a “derogatory cartoon” against the Indian judiciary and the government on the social networking site.

Although Shukla could not be contacted, a post on his Facebook page uploaded after the registration of the case said the cartoon pertained to the controversial death of CBI judge BH Loya.

The journalist also said he was targeted by right-wing people in an attempt to prevent him from “exposing” the government ahead of Chhattisgarh elections. “I will continue writing (to protect) our democracy,” he added.

Over 10 journalists were booked under various sections of the IPC, including sedition, in Bastar over the last few years.

Justice Loya was presiding over the Sohrabuddin Sheikh’s alleged fake encounter case when he died mysteriously in Nagpur in December 2014. BJP president Amit Shah was the prime accused in the case.