AMWJU, EGM, MHJU decry
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 03 2022: The All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), Editors' Guild Manipur (EGM) and Manipur Hill Journalists' Union (MHJU) have strongly reacted against the alleged intimidation and mental harassment meted out to AMWJU president, W Shamjai by National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials on August 2 .

Expressing strong resentment and disappointment on the way AMWJU president was summoned by NIA and treated like an accused person at NIA's Imphal office on August 2, the media bodies convened a joint emergency meeting today at Manipur Press Club.

The meeting resolved to submit memoranda highlighting such an episode to the Union Home Minister, Governor, Manipur Chief Minister, Press Council of India and Indian Journalists' Union.

The meeting also resolved to hold a protest demonstration on August 4 to denounce the interference of NIA in the affairs of the media community.

Later a memorandum highlighting the episode was submitted to the Governor.

In the memorandum, the bodies highlighted that W Shamjai was called up by an officer of NIA on July 31 to turn up at their office at 10 am on August 2 to which AMWJU president, with a clear mind to co-operate with the agency's investigation regarding a case, visited the NIA office on time.

However, he was allegedly left in a small room without any interaction till one officer began interrogating him around noon.

He was then allegedly enquired with uncomfortable and unrelated queries in another room besides being intimidated by NIA sleuths till around 5 pm, the memorandum read.

The bodies also noted that such excesses of the NIA are an insult and a big challenge to the independence of the media.

Asserting that members of the bodies have been co-operating with any investigation taken up by law enforcing/investigating agencies and will continue to do so.

the bodies also sought interventions from the office of Union Home Minister, Governor and Chief Minister to ensure that the media fraternity is not further harassed by NIA or any other investigating agencies in the future.of the bodies have been co-operating with any investigation taken up by law enforc-ing/investigating agencies and will continue to do so, the bodies also resolved to seek interventions from the office of Union Home Minister, Governor and Chief Minister to ensure that the media fraternity is not further harassed by NIA or any other investigating agencies in the future.

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