The Press Club of India (PCI) strongly condemned the actions of the Jammu and Kashmir police in seizing the mobile phone of senior journalist Jehangir Ali
New Delhi, December 19, 2025
The Press Club of India (PCI) strongly condemned the actions of the Jammu and Kashmir police in seizing the mobile phone of senior journalist Jehangir Ali, The Wire’s long-time correspondent in the region, on the evening of December 17, 2025, from his residence in Budgam.
In a press release issued today duly signed by senior journalists Gautam Lahiri and Neeraj Thakur the outgoing president and secretary general of PCI it is said that
It is a matter of relief that the phone was returned after 24 hours but the seizure was carried out in the first place without any disclosure of reasons and in the absence of any FIR, warrant, court order, or any other legal documentation. Equally disturbing was the failure of the police to follow established legal safeguards and Supreme Court directions governing the seizure of electronic devices, including the mandatory recording and sharing of the hash value of the device. Such procedures are essential to preserve the integrity of digital evidence and to prevent tampering while a device remains in official custody.
The Press Club of India notes with grave concern that this action took place in the context of Jehangir Ali’s ongoing investigative reporting for The Wire on allegations of nepotism and corruption related to a hydropower project in Kishtwar.
The Wire has further noted that Ali was actively pursuing another story in this investigation at the time of the police action.
This sequence of events raises serious questions about the intent behind the seizure and reinforces fears of intimidation and retaliation against journalists for pursuing public-interest reporting said the statement adding further that the PCI views this incident as part of a broader and deeply troubling pattern of pressure and harassment regularly faced by journalists in Jammu and Kashmir, which has intensified since the abrogation of Article 370 in the region. Such actions have had a chilling effect on the freedom of the press, making it extremely tough for journalists to freely pursue their work. Such crackdowns greatly undermine the constitutional guarantee of free speech and expression, as well as the public’s right to be informed said the statement of PCI.
It urges the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure that journalists are allowed to carry out their professional duties without fear, intimidation, or unlawful interference.
