The recent arrest of journalist and practicing lawyer Dilwar Hussain Mozumder has sparked a heated debate in Assam over press freedom, the treatment of media professionals and the very definition of who qualifies as a journalist.

Mozumder, associated with a news web portal and serving as the assistant general secretary of the Gauhati Press Club, was first detained under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following an incident at the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank. Subsequently, he was re-arrested on charges related to dacoity at the same institution.

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The sequence of events began when Mozumder attempted to question the bank’s managing director, Dambaru Saikia, regarding alleged irregularities during a protest organised by the Jatiya Yuva Shakti, the youth wing of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP). A video circulating on social media depicts Mozumder seeking answers about a purported recruitment scam, to which Saikia declined to respond.

Following this interaction, Mozumder was summoned to the Panbazar police station, detained and later formally arrested under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST Act.

The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from journalistic circles and civil society members. The Editors Guild of India (EGI) and The Press Club of India expressed deep concern over Mozumder’s detention, emphasising that such actions raise serious questions about press freedom, especially when journalists are performing their professional duties.

The EGI urged the Assam administration to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrest and called for the protection of journalists’ rights to operate without fear or intimidation.

The Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) also condemned the detention, viewing it as an attempt to muzzle independent journalism and dissuade journalists from fulfilling their duty of informing the public. They highlighted that such actions erode public trust in institutions meant to uphold transparency and accountability.

In response to the outcry, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that individuals working for online portals are not recognised as journalists under the state government’s rules. He referred to Mozumder as “just an individual” and suggested that he might be a businessman operating as a part-time journalist for a portal promoted by a politician.

Sarma further remarked that there is speculation about Mozumder owning dumpers and questioned the legitimacy of his journalistic endeavours.

Notably, Assam’s information and public relation minister Pijush Hazarika added another dimension to the issue by questioning whether a practising advocate could also be a journalist.

“Dear President / Secretary of

@pressclubghy , Will you kindly reveal if Dilwar Hussain is a practising advocate or a journalist or/ also a businessman?”, Hazarika wrote in microblogging site X.

This incident is not isolated. In recent times, Assam has witnessed several episodes raising concerns about the safety and freedom of journalists. For instance, in December 2024, a peaceful march organised by the Congress in Guwahati turned violent, resulting in injuries to at least eight journalists and camerapersons.

The Gauhati Press Club condemned the police action, highlighting the routine nature of such incidents where journalists become victims while performing their duties.

Sushmita Goswami, president of the Gauhati Press Club, remarked that it has become almost ritualistic for the press fraternity in Assam to protest against administrative high-handedness in dealing with journalists every few months.

She emphasised that cases like Mozumder’s serve as stark reminders that journalists, who strive to seek justice for the voiceless, are increasingly becoming voiceless themselves.

The recurring nature of such incidents underscores the pressing need for a comprehensive dialogue between the state authorities and media bodies to ensure that journalists can operate without fear of retribution, thereby preserving the fundamental tenets of democracy.