Press Council India has set up a five-member sub committee to examine a complaint that the government of West Bengal had issued directions to arrest journalists found at any place other than the press corner in the state secretariat.
Chairman of Press Council of India Chandramauli Kumar Prasad said the Council had sought responses from the Chief Secretary and the Secretary (Home) of West Bengal in this regard but was intrigued to note that the Secreatary (Home) (Police Department) had returned the notice with the remark "Refused".
"The Sub Committee, comprising of Ravindra Kumar, Prajananda Chaudhury, Kosuri Amarnath, Bipin Newar and Suman Gupta shall conduct its enquiries on April 16 and April 17," the PCI said in a press release.
Reports had it that the West Bengal Police had passed an order in December last year stating that journalists will not be allowed to enter any of the government departments' offices without prior permission from the authorities concerned and they were designated to the press corner on the first floor of Nabanna.
Nabanna houses major departments such as home, finance, hill affairs, land and land reforms, information and culture, fire and disaster management, minority affairs and the Chief Minister's Office.
