Fourth Right: How to silence a story without filing an FIR
By Pragadish Kirubakaran in Media News on Wednesday, 14th January 2026 at 4:25pm
Image edited by Dinesh Raj M
The Madras High Court’s decision to quash a police notice issued to journalist Vimal Chinnappan reads, on paper, like a routine affirmation of procedure. Police cannot summon a journalist for questioning without registering a formal case. Section 35(1)(b) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) permits arrest under specific conditions; it does not authorise informal inquiries, fishing expeditions, or “come and explain” notices.
That much is settled law. And yet, this ruling matters because it exposes how power now operates in quieter ways.
Across India, the preferred tool to deal with inconvenient journalism is no longer the FIR. It is the summons without one. There appears to be no formal accusation, paperwork or clarity. Just e...
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