NAMSAI, 27 Jun: In a significant judgement for press freedom, a local court in Namsai district has acquitted senior journalist Irani Sonowal Lepcha in a defamation case filed by former adviser to the chief minister, Sotai Kri.
The case was dismissed after the complainant repeatedly failed to appear for hearings.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Lobsang Wangdi Bapu, while passing the order on 25 June, cited Section 256 of the CrPC, which empowers courts to dismiss cases for non-prosecution.
The court noted that, despite being granted a final opportunity upon payment of Rs 2,000, the complainant and his counsel remained absent without furnishing any cause.
The case stemmed from a November 2019 investigative article published by EastMojo, a digital news portal, titled ‘Arunachal: Land mafia near China border risking national security?’, which linked Kri to alleged irregularities in land dealings.
Following the report, Kri had allegedly also issued telephonic threats to Irani, then serving as EastMojo’s chief correspondent in Arunachal Pradesh.
The threats triggered widespread condemnation from the state’s media community, with the Arunachal Press Club (APC) and the Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) jointly denouncing the intimidation as an assault on journalistic freedom.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu had also taken to social media at the time, reaffirming his support for journalists.
“Govt of Arunachal Pradesh stands by the journalists working without any fear or favour in the interest of the society.
I denounce any such attempt of intimidation and action will be taken as per law,” he had posted on Twitter, now X.
Welcoming the court’s decision, APUWJ President Amar Sangno said this particular case was an attempt to throttle investigative journalism and cover up corruption in the land compensation scam.
“The Namsai court’s judgment not only restores our faith in the Indian judiciary but also upholds the principle of a free press,” he said.
Irani had been charged under Sections 500 and 501 of the IPC, pertaining to defamation. With the case now formally dismissed, she stands cleared of all allegations.
