Guwahati: Former local television journalist Gaurav Jyoti Neog, accused of instigating a mob to strip and molest a girl in Guwahati on July 9, was remanded on Tuesday to a 14 days’ judicial custody.
A local court sent him to judicial custody at the end of three-day police remand.
The journalist’s lawyers are expected to move his bail petition before the court during his judicial custody after an anticipatory bail plea was earlier rejected by the court.
Mr Neog, who had quit the local television channel he was associated with after the incident, was arrested by the SIT, probing the molestation case, on July 20 and has been charged with instigating violence.
He was earlier questioned by the police in the case.
The main accused in the molestation case, Amarjyoti Kalita, was arrested on Monday at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and a police team from Assam has already reached Varanasi to bring him back.
Mr Neog’s role in the molestation incident had come under scanner, with many alleging that he had instigated the mob to strip and molest the victim on July 9.
His failure to inform the police has also led to a nationwide debate on role of media at a time of reporting a crime.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had also criticised Mr Neog’s role in the incident, which had led the editor-in-chief of the reporter’s channel to resign apprehending ‘government pressure’ would not ensure an ‘impartial probe’.
Altogether 14 people, including Mr Neog and Kalita, have been arrested in the case so far.
A SIT team is investigating the incident, while a CID probe into the alleged role of a section of electronic media, particularly a private television channel, in the entire matter has also been ordered.
A girl was groped and molested by a gang of bystanders, many in inebriated state, when she was coming out from a pub after a party with friends at 2100 hrs on June 9 on the main GS Road area of the city.
The incident had sent shockwaves across the nation. (UNI)