Rush Hour: Guwahati Police summons ‘The Wire’ editor, Mumbai on red alert amid heavy rainfall & more

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The Wire’s founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan has been summoned by the Crime Branch in Guwahati in a case about an article on Operation Sindoor. The summons, issued on August 12, came even as the Supreme Court granted Varadarajan and members of the foundation running the news outlet protection from arrest in another first information report filed by the Assam Police.

Ankur Jain, the joint commissioner of police in Guwahati, told Scroll that the summons had been issued as the Supreme Court order had come in relation to a case filed in “some other district”.

The cases follow the publication of an article about Operation Sindoor titled “‘IAF Lost Fighter Jets to Pak Because of Political Leadership’s Constraints’: Indian Defence Attache”.

The cases relate to acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. The new summons includes sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections pertaining to promoting enmity between different groups, publishing false or misleading information and criminal conspiracy.

In the latest notice, Varadarajan has been directed to appear before the investigating officer at the Crime Branch Police Station in Panbazar on August 22 at 11.30...

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