Journalist says hounded by Uttarakhand Goverenment for exposing graft - paper

[Uttrakhand Aandolankari]

Indian journalist says hounded for exposing graft - paper
22 Mar 2011 11:57
Source: Trustlaw // Nita Bhalla,
http://www.trust.org/trustlaw/news/indian-journalist-says-hounded-for-exposing-graft-paper

NEW DELHI (TrustLaw) - A senior journalist from India's northern state
of Uttarakhand has accused the local authorities of "hounding" him for
exposing government corruption in the region, the Mail Today reported
on Tuesday.
The paper said Umesh Kumar and his wife, who run the News Network of
India (NNI), told the Press Council of India that government officials
have launched several false criminal cases against them for
highlighting irregularities in state projects.
Kumar told the daily that NNI had embarrassed the Uttarakhand
government in 2010 by exposing the allotment of licenses to build
small hydroelectic plants to non-existent companies and individuals,
as well as the sale of land without following the necessary rules and
regulations. Both projects were later abandoned by authorities.
The paper said Kumar and his wife are accused by the government of
forgery, cheating and even abusing a lower caste Hindu, which is
illegal in India. The couple also face closure and demolition notices
on their property and those of their relatives.
"Kumar says he and his wife have to go into hiding and even switch off
their mobile phones after breaking a story against the state
government," said the newspaper."Each time, the judiciary has come to
their rescue by staying their arrest or demolition notices," the
report added.