Varadarajan, Thapar Respond to Assam Police Summons: What They Said

The Assam Police has summoned senior journalist, Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of The Wire, and Karan Thapar in a second sedition FIR, even as the Supreme Court had issued notice on The Wire’s petition challenging the constitutionality of the new sedition law and protected its journalists from any “coercive action” in an earlier sedition FIR registered by the Assam Police in Morigaon.

Despite the Supreme Court’s order, the Crime Branch, Guwahati, issued summons to Varadarajan and Thapar on August 12. Citing powers under sub-section (3) of Section 35 of the BNSS, the police stated that it needs to question them in connection with FIR/Case No. 03/2025 under Sections 152/196/197(1)(d)/3(6)/353/45/61 of the BNS Act, 2023, registered at the Crime Branch Police Station, Guwahati.

Varadarajan received the summons on the second FIR on August 14 and an identical summons issued to Karan Thapar in connection with the same FIR was received on August 18.

The summons states that “there are reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain the facts and circumstances in relation to the present investigation.” 

Both Siddharth Varadarajan and Karan Thapar have been directed to appear at the Crime Branch office in Panbazaar, Guwahati, on Friday, August 22 at 11:30 AM. It further warns that “failure to attend or comply with the terms of this notice may render you liable for arrest.”

Varadarajan and Thapar Questions Summons, May Move SC

Both Varadarajan and Thapar gave a similar response to the summons, stating that "The FIR is not accessible through the online portal of Assam Police. This suggests that the FIR has not been uploaded online, though the same is mandated by judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Youth Bar Association of India v Union of India, (2016) 9 SCC 473."

He also mentioned that, "In any event, a notice under S.35(3), BNSS must be mandatorily accompanied by a copy of FIR as per judgment in Tavaragi Rajashekhar Shiva Prasad v State of Karnataka, 2024 SCC OnLine Kar 67. The said judgment, being a ruling given by a High Court on the interpretation of a Central statute, is binding on the Assam Police."

Since the FIR date was not mentioned, no details of the alleged offence were provided, and a copy of the FIR was not included, as required by law when serving a summons under this section of the BNSS, Mr. Vardarajan stated that, "Thus, a notice under S.35(3), BNSS is invalid without a copy of the FIR accompanying such notice. Even otherwise, you are obliged to upload a copy of the FIR on the internet, as well as provide a copy of the FIR to me on my making a request, which I am doing now."

“It would only be appropriate that the present Notice and action is brought to the notice of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, which I shall be doing,” he added, which is a hint that Varadarajan will approach the Supreme Court against the Assam Police.  

Varadarajan Booked for Story on Indian Defence Attache’s speech

On July 11, Mr. Varadarajan was booked by the Morigaon Police in Assam under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following the publication of an article titled “IAF Lost Fighter Jets to Pak Because of Political Leadership’s Constraints: Indian Defence Attache” on June 28, 2025.

An FIR, reportedly filed on July 11 following a complaint by a local BJP leader, referenced remarks made by India’s Defence Attaché to Indonesia, Captain (Indian Navy) Shiv Kumar. During a seminar, he claimed that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan on the night of May 7, 2025, during Operation Sindoor, citing “constraints imposed by the political leadership to avoid targeting military installations or their air defences.” However, the FIR filed by the crime branch is not publicly accessible.

Also Read: Siddharth Varadarajan Recieves Assam Police Summon Despite SC Protection