About the Human Rights Defender: Mr. Ajay Prakash (39) is a journalist and the founder of news portal, Janjwar.com. He was associated with Dainik Bhaskar as a News Editor till 2018. Mr. Ankit Goyal is the camera person of Mr. Ajay Prakash and Mr. Vinod Kumar was the cab driver of Mr. Ajay Prakash. Details of the incident: On February 07, 2022, Mr. Ajay Prakash with a camera person were going for election coverage in Uttarakhand by a taxi. Around 12:30 pm Mr. Ajay Prakash’s taxi was stopped by Mr. Vipin Kumar, Asst. Regional Transport Officer (ARTO), Udham Singh Nagar at Kichcha area, Udham Singh Nagar. After stopping the taxi, the ARTO told the journalists that their car was being requisitioned for election duty, and that they had to find some other transport. Mr. Ajay Prakash protested that they are going to cover the election, but ARTO didn’t listen to him. Mr. Ajay Prakash then started asking questions to ARTO and streaming them live. At that Mr. Vipin Kumar, made a phone call to the police department and called the police. Video link: https://fb.watch/br3UYtUnqu/ A magistrate and a lady police officer with other policemen arrived in response to Mr. Vipin Kumar’s call and the mobile phones of all three were forcibly snatched by the policemen. Then they were forcibly put in the jeep and taken to the police station, Pulbhatta Thana. On the way they were also verbally abused by the police.

Around 01:00 pm they reached the Udham Sigh Nagar police station and were locked in the lockup till 10 pm. There too they were verbally abused. Mr. Vipin Kumar, the ARTO also sat in the station officer's office in the police station till 06:00pm. After he left, their mobiles were given back to them. Around 10:00 pm policemen gave them a notice under section 41 of the criminal code procedure which said that an FIR had been lodged against them and they will be asked to come for investigation or face arrest. On February 07, 2022, at 03:21 pm an FIR 0024 was registered by Mr. Vipin Kumar Singh, Assistant Regional Transport Officer, Udham Singh Nagar against Mr. Ajay Prakash, Mr. Vinod Kumar Gangwar and Mr. Ankit Goyal at Pulbhatta Thana, Udham Singh Nagar. The FIR was registered under sections of IPC 186 Obstructing public servants in discharge of public functions, 188 Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, 269 Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life, 270 Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life, 353 Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and Section 56 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 Failure of officer in duty or his connivance at the contravention of the provisions of this Act.