Gauhati HC confirms interim pre-arrest bail for journalist in Sonari suicide case

Guwahati, Sept 2: The Gauhati High Court has made absolute the ad-interim pre-arrest bail granted to journalist Rafick Ahmed in connection with the Sonari Police case linked to the suicide of Rajapukhuri Gaon Panchayat president Debojit Hazarika. The court, after hearing submissions from both sides and perusing the case diary, ruled that the earlier bail would continue with conditions that Ahmed must not abscond or tamper with evidence.

A case was registered with Sonari Police after Hazarika committed suicide and left behind two suicide notes.

The suicide notes contained the names of one retired block development officer, a lady reporter, RTI Activist Dulal Bora and reporter Rafick Ahmed. The other named persons in the suicide note were arrested and later released on bail.

Journalist Rafick Ahmed by virtue of an anticipatory bail application sought pre-arrest bail earlier before the Gauhati High Court and the High Court granted him the ad-interim pre-arrest bail and thereafter he appeared before the investigating officer.

It was submitted today before the High Court by the engaged counsel (of Rafick Ahmed) Bijon Kumar Mahajan that the deceased committed suicide after lodging of an FIR by the block development officer, Sonari against him for embezzlement of government fund on September 18 in 2024 and the death occurred on September 20, 2024 and as such the suicide was the result of the said FIR against him and not the harassment caused by the arrested accused persons and the petitioner Rafick Ahmed.

The High Court after perusing the case diary and after hearing the learned Additional Public Prosecutor D.P. Goswami as well has made the earlier interim bail granted to Reporter Rafick Ahmed absolute with the conditions that the petitioner shall not abscond and hamper or tamper with evidence.