Page No.# 1/4 GAHC010112242026 2026:GAU-AS:8726 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : Bail Appln./1478/2026 ARIJIT DAS SON OF AJIT CH. DAS, RESIDENT OF CHURCH ROAD, JUNGLEE KALIBARI, P.S. LUMDING, DIST. HOJAI, ASSAM VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, ASSAM Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. S C BISWAS, MR. P S BISWAS,MS. R DEVI,MR. BHASKAR ROY,MS. J GHOSH,MS. U NANDA Advocate for the Respondent : PP, ASSAM, MS. H SARMA,MR A U AHMED Page No.# 2/4 BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV KUMAR SHARMA ORDER 17.06.2026 1. Heard Mr. S. C. Biswas, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. K. K. Das, learned Additional Public Prosecutor, Assam. 2. By this petition under Section 483 BNSS, the accused-petitioner, namely, Arijit Das who was arrested on 29.05.2026 in connection with Lumding P.S. Case No. 80/2026 under Section 296(a)/356(2)/308(5)/196(1)(b) of BNS is seeking bail. 3. As per the FIR the case of the petitioner is that on 21.05.2026 at 3:10 pm, the complainant named Dibakar Nag S/O- It. Narayan Nag of Church Road, PS-Lumding Hojai (Assam) lodged FIR at Lumding PS stating that for the last one year a person named "Arijit Das" implying himself as a so called Journalist has been purportedly destroying the impression of LUMDING "MLA" and also the impression of BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY Lumding. It is the obligation of a journalist to highlight news impartially without siding with any particular political party and any particular person. But it is observed that he is highlighting the news with a malicious intention to destroy and abuse the reputation of the MLA of Lumding and thus paving the way for another political party. His presentation of news appears to be a malicious campaign against BJP Lumding rather than an impartial presentation of facts and figures also the mood of presentation is so aggressive which shows that he has come out to take personal vengeance and vendetta against BJP and MLA Lumding Sri SIBU MISRA. That rather than Page No.# 3/4 presenting the news, he indulges in using abusive languages for insulting local MLA SIBU MISRA" and even his family members. He played the role like a political campaigner rather than neutral journalist. His campaigning also tried to influence the BJP leadership against providing ticket to "SIBU MISRA" which displays clearly a personal grudge. It has been reported that he has been regularly extracting money from the Betel nut mafias and Drug Mafias by threatening them that he would otherwise report it to the Police. It is a common public perception that the petitioner has no visible source of income but he leads a very luxurious life with a costly car, two wheelers, number of mobile phones and other luxury items. Hence on receipt of FIR, Lumding PS Case No 80/26 U/S 296(a)/356(2)/308(5)/196(1)(b) BNS 2023 has been registered and taken up for investigation. 4. Mr. S. C. Biswas, learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the instant FIR is nothing but an attempt to stifle the freedom of the press and to prevent the petitioner from carrying out his work as a journalist. 5. It is further submitted that the petitioner has been victimized for highlighting certain acts of the informant and the whole action in lodging the instant FIR is motivated by reasons which are not bonafide. 6. The case diary as called for has been received and learned Additional Public Prosecutor submits with reference to the case diary as well to the objection filed by the I.O. that the petitioner has been trying to influence the witnesses. 7. On perusal of the case diary, it is seen that the investigation has progressed and the statements of the witnesses have also been recorded and Page No.# 4/4 the petitioner who is a journalist, has spent 20 days behind Bars. 8. Considering the above, I’m of the view that further detention of the petitioner is not warranted. Accordingly, the prayer for bail is allowed. 9. Accordingly, it is provided that the accused petitioner, named above, shall be released on bail of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand) with a surety of like amount to the satisfaction of learned CJM, Hojai, subject to the following condition- i) That the accused petitioner shall not make any attempt to contact the witnesses or try to intimidate them in any manner. 10. The bail application stands disposed of. JUDGE Comparing Assistant