Supreme Court urged to show courage: Immediate bail demanded for journalist Rupesh Kumar Singh

By A Representative

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.

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Bangladesh alternative more vital for NE India than Kaladan project in Myanmar

By Mehjabin Bhanu* There has been a recent surge in the number of Chin refugees entering Mizoram from the adjacent nation as a result of airstrikes by the Myanmar Army on ethnic insurgents and intense fighting along the border between India and Myanmar. Uncertainty has surrounded India's Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project, which uses Sittwe port in Myanmar, due to the recent outbreak of hostilities along the Mizoram-Myanmar border. Construction on the road portion of the Kaladan project, which runs from Paletwa in Myanmar to Zorinpui in Mizoram, was resumed thanks to the time of relative calm during the intermittent period. However, recent unrest has increased concerns about missing the revised commissioning goal dates. The project's goal is to link northeastern states with the rest of India via an alternate route, using the Sittwe port in Myanmar. In addition to this route, India can also connect the region with the rest of India through Assam by using the Chittagon...

Search This Blog