Seven days of continuous attempts to access Assam police FIR used to ‘summon’ senior Wire journalists

Summons were sent to Siddharth Varadarajan and Karan Thapar by Assam police to “appear” at the Crime Branch police station in Guwahati on August 22. The summons were sent on August 12, the same day the Supreme Court gave protection to Varadarajan and The Wire and issued notice on the vires of Section 152, BNS.

The Wire Staff

Published Aug 20, 2025 | 7:39 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 20, 2025 | 7:39 PM

Illustration: The Wire, with Canva

Synopsis: When ‘summoned’, Varadarajan and Thapar were not provided a copy of the FIR, not even its date or the gist of its contents. Upon an application to the Investigating Officer (IO) for supply of the said FIR, he directed The Wire’s representative in Guwahati to either get a copy from the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court or else seek it from the deputy commissioner. (This piece was originally published on thewire.in)

After several days of effort – both online and in Guwahati – The Wire on Wednesday was finally able to obtain a copy of the Assam Police’s FIR bearing No. 3/2025, PS Crime Branch, Guwahati, dated May 9, 2025, in which founding editor of The Wire Siddharth Varadarajan and consulting editor Karan Thapar have been summoned.

Others named in the FIR include Satyapal Mallik (ex-governor of J&K and Meghalaya, who passed away earlier this month), Najam Sethi (journalist and former Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab in Pakistan), and Ashutosh Bhardwaj (Editor of The Wire Hindi).

In addition, the FIR lists the full or partial headlines of 12 articles published by The Wire in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack involving the following authors or interview subjects (not named in FIR): former editor of The Tribune Harish Khare, Observer Research Foundation senior fellow Manoj Joshi, former Intelligence Bureau official Avinash Mohananey, former chief of RAW A.S. Dulat, Colonel (retired) Ajai Shukla, former ADG of the Border Security Force S.K. Sood, senior journalist Anand Sahay, educationist Rohit Kumar, senior defence journalist Rahul Bedi, researcher Nirmanya Chouhan and former Indian Army officer Ali Ahmed.

In effect, the FIR exposes as many 11 columnists, many of whom have had a distinguished career in the Indian intelligence agencies, army, security forces, media, education and research, to the danger of an ad hoc, roving inquiry by the Assam Police, including the possibility of summons and even arrest at a future date since it is their articles and interviews which have been cited as acts ‘endangering the sovereignty of the country’.

When ‘summoned’, Varadarajan and Thapar were not provided a copy of the FIR, not even its date or the gist of its contents. Upon an application to the Investigating Officer (IO) for supply of the said FIR, he directed The Wire’s representative in Guwahati to either get a copy from the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court or else seek it from the deputy commissioner.

An email to the deputy commissioner had already been sent by The Wire and Thapar. As there is a nationwide disruption in speed post services, with their servers being out of order and services highly delayed, Varadarajan and Thapar ensured that their response to the summons was sent on Whatsapp to the IO (blue ticked, i.e. seen by recipient), email to the deputy commissioner of police, and a copy of the response handed over through a local advocate, who was hurriedly organised given the circumstances.

Attempts were made to secure the FIR from the CJM’s Court on August 16 (Saturday), August 18 (Monday) and August 19 (Tuesday), but all attempts were unsuccessful.

Finally, a copy of the FIR became accessible to us on the website of the Assam Police on August 20, around noon.

There has been widespread criticism by journalists and other public-spirited persons and organisations, including by way of newspaper editorials, of this FIR being registered, the mode of summoning done to harass members of the press and non-disclosure of the FIR.

Since Varadarajan first received a copy of the summons from Crime Branch, Panbazaar, Guwahati on the evening of August 14, 2025, the following have been The Wire’s attempts to procure a copy of the FIR:

Throughout the evening of August 14 and every day thereafter, checking the Assam police website;
Whatsapp communication to the investigating officer, Crime Branch Panbazaar on his stated mobile number, seeking a copy of the FIR sent on August 15;
Speed post sent on August 16 (August 15 being a holiday on account of Independence Day). The service has been disrupted by nationwide delays in India Post;
Unsuccessful attempts made by a local advocate in Assam to obtain a copy of the FIR from the local CJM Court on August 16 and on August 18;
Although not an attempt by The Wire, attempts reported by correspondents to get a copy of the FIR from the Investigating Officer who said that only the DCP could give it. Attempts were made on August 17 (Sunday) night by senior members of the Assam press -NE Now editor Manask Deka was told on the phone that only the DCP could give the FIR. Reporters from Crosscurrent and Pratidin Time couldn’t get through to the IO despite repeated attempts. A national news agency tried to contact the DCP Crime but couldn’t get through.
An email was sent on August 18, midnight to the DCP by The Wire;
On August 19, the local Guwahati advocate of The Wire met with the IO, Soumarjyoti Ray, and placed on record a copy of the response earlier sent on email, Whatsapp and speed post, and sought a copy of the FIR. He was told to apply to the CJM Court Kamrup (Metro) Guwahati.
After meeting the IO, attempts were made once again to obtain a copy from the CJM Court Kamrup (Metro) Guwahati. The Wire’s local advocate made an application to the CJM Court for a copy on August 19.
A slew of condemnations by various press bodies of both the act and the opaque manner in which it was done by not disclosing the FIR out in the public domain.
August 19, midday – an application filed by The Wire in the Supreme Court bringing to its notice the summons and non-supply of FIR by the Crime Branch was served upon the counsel of the Assam police.
Intensive search on behalf of The Wire of the Assam police website yielded some results. Entry of FIR No. 3/2025 showed that it was lodged on May 9, 2025, but it was impossible to download its contents.
August 20, 11:30 am to 12 pm: When another attempt was made to print a copy of the entry showing that the FIR was lodged on May 9, the contents of the FIR emerged and the FIR was downloaded. The Assam police website now has the FIR available against the link.
The Wire has reproduced the full FIR below.

According to media watchdog bodies, journalists and opposition leaders, this FIR is a textbook case of attempts to criminalise journalism as a whole – asking questions, encouraging a variety of views, informing the public on vital matters pertaining to national security, and fostering an environment of healthy discussion and debate. The Indian press has a proud record of raising critical points at critical junctures for the nation and society, whether at the time of the Emergency in 1975 or when the country went through economic or other crises.

We believe today too, it is not just our right but the duty and responsibility of all members of the free press in India to uphold this legacy. A democracy that does not allow for a vibrant press is one in name only.

Read the full FIR here.

(This piece was originally published on thewire.in and has been reproduced with permission.)