Tajinder Bagga redux? Rajasthan police in Noida to arrest TV journalist

A team of Rajasthan Police is in Noida in Uttar Pradesh to arrest TV journalist Aman Chopra for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups and hurting religious sentiments, an official said on Sunday.

According to Dungarpur Kotwali police station, an FIR was registered against Chopra by a man alleging that the journalist gave false and fictitious details by showing that the demolition of a temple in Rajgarh of Alwar district was done by the Rajasthan government as an act of revenge following the demolition drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri.

Three FIRs have been registered against Chopra, including in Bundi, Alwar and Dungarpur districts under various sections pertaining to sedition, outraging religious sentiments and promoting enmity between two groups and under the IT Act on April 23.

Chopra got a stay from the Rajasthan High Court on his arrest in two FIRs registered against him in Bundi and Alwar district, but is facing an arrest warrant following a local court order in Dungarpur district, police said.

“Our team is camping in Noida and searching all possible locations to trace him. Yesterday, also our team went to Chopra’s house but he was not found there and his residence was locked,” Dungarpur SP Sudhir Joshi told PTI.

He said the high court order does not mention the FIR registered in Dungarpur and stay was given on his arrest in FIRs registered in Bundi and Alwar districts.

When asked about cooperation from the Noida police in the matter, Joshi said, “Our team was stopped and asked to come to a local police station before directly acting on the arrest warrant. We cannot say that it is full cooperation.” He said Noida Police was already informed about the case details and this was second time the police team had gone for his arrest.