Mr. Ashutosh Negi, aged 50, is a resident of Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. He serves as the editor of the weekly newspaper "Jago Uttarakhand" and is also a registered lawyer with the District Bar Council. Known locally for his journalistic work, Mr. Negi has been actively raising awareness about the murder of Ankita Bhandari, a case involving high-level state politicians. It is alleged that local police, under political pressure, are attempting to silence Mr. Negi.

On March 5, 2024, Mr. Negi was traveling with a friend in Pauri, Uttarakhand, when he was stopped by a police jeep near the RTO office at around 1:00 PM. Despite providing the necessary vehicle documents, he was informed of his arrest in connection with an old, previously closed case. His family was not notified, and no formal arrest memo or FIR was presented at the time.

The arrest was based on an FIR filed by Rajesh Singh Rajakoli in Pauri City, accusing Mr. Negi of tearing a police officer's uniform. Mr. Negi was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in Pauri at 4:00 PM the same day and subsequently sent to jail. He was released on bail on March 13, 2023.

Following his release, a new case has been registered against Mr. Negi under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) for publishing a report on a child molestation incident involving a teacher. Mr. Negi fears continued harassment and potential arrest by state police.

Human Rights Defenders Alert (HRDA) believes that Mr. Negi is being targeted, falsely implicated, and intimidated due to his journalistic efforts in pursuing justice for Ankita Bhandari. The actions against him appear to be part of a broader strategy to suppress information and shield influential political figures from scrutiny.

We urge the Hon’ble Commission to take cognisance of the above case and urgently:

• Direct the Director General of police of Uttarakhand to quash the FIR against Mr. Ashutosh Negi and submit a report to the NHRC within four weeks.
• Direct the Director General of Police of Uttarakhand to submit a report on the illegal arrest and charges against journalist Mr. Negi to the NHRC within two weeks.