The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has called on the Supreme Court to demonstrate courage and uphold the principle that "bail is the rule, jail is the exception" by granting immediate bail to Jharkhand-based journalist Rupesh Kumar Singh. Singh has been incarcerated for over two and a half years in connection with alleged links to top Maoist leaders, a case that has drawn widespread criticism for its apparent misuse of stringent laws to silence dissent.
On January 27, the Supreme Court rejected Singh's bail application, further prolonging his detention despite the absence of a trial. Singh, a freelance journalist known for his ground reporting on issues such as extrajudicial killings, human rights violations, corporate exploitation, and environmental destruction in Jharkhand, was arrested in 2022. Since then, he has been implicated in approximately five cases, ensuring his prolonged incarceration without trial. In a concerning development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided his residence on May 2, 2023, in connection with another alleged Maoist conspiracy case, despite Singh already being in pretrial detention.
The Supreme Court's decision has sparked outrage among civil society groups, journalists, and human rights activists. CASR, a coalition of over 40 progressive and democratic organizations, has condemned the denial of bail as a violation of Singh's fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The coalition has also criticized the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led state government for opposing Singh's bail application, accusing it of hypocrisy given its claims of protecting tribal rights while using draconian laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to suppress dissent.
In a statement, CASR highlighted the Supreme Court's own ruling in Jalaluddin Khan vs. Union of India (2023), where a bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih emphasized that "bail is the rule, and jail is the exception," even in cases under special statutes like the UAPA. The bench had cautioned courts against denying bail in deserving cases, warning that such actions would violate constitutional rights. CASR has accused the Supreme Court of failing to uphold this principle in Singh's case, describing the denial of bail as an act of "cowardice."
Rupesh Kumar Singh's reporting has consistently exposed the nexus between corporate interests and the state, particularly in Jharkhand. Just two days before his arrest, he published a report on the dumping of industrial waste on tribal agricultural land in Giridih District, which has had catastrophic effects on the health of local communities. His arrest and subsequent prosecution have been widely viewed as an attempt to stifle his investigative journalism and intimidate others from speaking truth to power.
CASR has demanded the immediate release of Singh and the scrapping of all "bogus" cases against him. The coalition has also called on media houses, progressive organizations, and individuals to rally behind Singh and raise their voices against his unjust imprisonment. The statement further criticized the JMM-led Jharkhand government for its complicity in the repression of democratic voices, accusing it of aligning with the same corporate and fascist forces it claims to oppose.
The case of Rupesh Kumar Singh underscores the growing threats to press freedom and democratic dissent in India. As corporate exploitation and state repression intensify, the role of journalists like Singh in exposing injustices becomes ever more critical. CASR's call for his release is not just a demand for justice for one individual but a broader appeal to safeguard the democratic space and the rights of all marginalized communities.
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