Kerala Court grants bail to Republic TV journalists arrested for filming Iranian warship

A Kerala court on Tuesday granted bail to two Republic TV journalists, who were arrested for attempting to record visuals of an Iranian naval vessel anchored at Cochin Port.

The Judicial First Class Magistrate-I court at Ernakulam grantied bail to the two accused persons subject to execution of bonds for ₹ 1,00,000 each along with two solvent sureties each for the like sum.

The Court noted that the equipment used by the journalists have already been seized and the investigation has progressed substantially.

It also observed that since the witnesses are Coast Guard members, the chances of the journalists being able to threaten or intimidate them are slim.

Reporter Sankar CG and cameraman S Mani along with a boat driver were taken into custody in Kochi on March 8.

The group was detained for capturing visuals of the IRIS Lavan, which arrived at the port a day after the United States sank another Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. IRS Lavan is currently docked at the port following a diplomatic arrangement between India and Iran.

According to reports, the Republic TV journalists travelled on a small hired boat to the port area to record visuals of the foreign military vessel from close range.

They were picked up by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) near a restricted high-security zone. Photography and videography are prohibited in the area without official clearance.

They were booked under provisions of the Sections 3(1)(a) (spying in prohibited places) and 5 (wrongful communication of information) of the Official Secrets Act as well as Sections 329(3) (criminal trespass) and Section 3(5) (acts committed with common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Advocate Geo Paul, representing the journalists, submitted that no objectionable footage was recorded. He also argued that other news organisations have also been reporting on the docking of the ship and therefore, the charges under the Official Secrets Act would not stand against the two Republic TV journalists.

The Court today granted them bail subject to conditions. The journalists have been directed not to leave Ernakulam district for 2 months and to appear before the investigating officer every Sunday during the period.

The bail application was filed through advocate Luke J Chirayil.