Press Club of India raises concern over alleged harassment of senior Tripura journalist after MLA files FIR over news

Press Club of India has expressed concern over the alleged harassment of senior journalist of Tripura, Pranab Sarkar, who is also a member of the Press Club of India and President of the Agartala Press Club, reportedly by Tipra Motha Party MLA Ranjit Tripura.

The Press Club of India, in a statement, said that the Tripura Journalists’ Union, while condemning the incident, mentioned that a surrendered militant leader and current MLA of the Tripura Assembly threatened journalist Mr. Sarkar by filing a false complaint to prevent the publication of the alleged “misdeeds” of that leader.

"We urge upon the media fraternity to stand by the victim journalist. We also urge the state government to provide necessary protection to journalist Sarkar," the statement said.

On October 26, MLA Ranjit Tripura filed an FIR against Mr. Sarkar, who is the owner and news editor of Tripura's renowned channel Headlines Tripura National, after the channel broadcasted a report questioning the MLA's nationality.

"Most surprisingly, on 24.10.2025 and onwards, the electronic media named 'Headlines Tripura National' started broadcasting a vibrant and shocking news item with a fake Bangladeshi Voter ID Card and a fabricated Birth Certificate in respect of me", the FIR reads.

It further reads, "Mr. Pranab Sarkar, the owner-cum-editor of 'Headlines Tripura National', the President of Tripura Press Club, Agartala, is a permanent citizen of Tripura and has well conversant knowledge regarding my place of birth, schooling, and college education as well. Mr. Sarkar and his associates broadcasted such news on his channel deliberately and intentionally with a view to destroy my personal image as well as my bright political career. Under the above circumstances, I hereby request your kind office to register a specific criminal case against Mr. Pranab Sarkar and his associates under specific sections of law of BNS-2023, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and the Indian Information Technology Act, 2000, for broadcasting such intentional and deliberate publications against me," the FIR reads".