Sat Mar 29 15:11:19 UTC 2025: ## Assamese Journalist Released on Bail After Two Arrests

**GUWAHATI, March 29, 2025** – Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, a reporter for an Assamese news portal, was released from Guwahati Central Jail on Saturday after being granted bail in a second case against him. Mozumder’s arrest on March 25 followed his coverage of a protest regarding alleged financial irregularities at the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank Limited, where Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma serves as a director.

Initially arrested for criminal intimidation and allegedly abusing a member of a Scheduled Tribe, Mozumder was released on bail the following day. However, he was immediately rearrested in a second case filed by the bank’s managing director, accusing him of attempting to steal documents.

His lawyer argued that the second arrest was an attempt to harass and intimidate the journalist for reporting on sensitive issues. Mozumder expressed gratitude for the support received from the media, legal professionals, and civil society organizations, addressing concerns about his journalistic credentials and other business ventures.

The Assam Civil Society and the Assam Film Fraternity condemned Mozumder’s rearrest as an attack on media freedom and called for an investigation into the alleged bank corruption. The incident highlights concerns over press freedom and the potential for intimidation of journalists investigating sensitive topics in Assam.

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