Janjgir-Champa : A serious मामला of alleged extortion and obstruction of government work under the guise of journalism has surfaced in Janjgir-Champa district. Public representatives of Gram Panchayat Putpura, under Nawagarh Janpad Panchayat, submitted a written memorandum to the Superintendent of Police seeking legal action against a youth accused of misusing the name of journalism.
According to the complaint submitted by Sarpanch Suchita Devi Rathore, on February 2, 2025, a CC road construction work was underway in Ward No. 05 of the village when a man identified as Deepak Tiwari, a resident of village Tilai, reached the site claiming to be a journalist. He allegedly pressured Panchayat representatives, threatened them, instigated labourers to stop work, and misbehaved with women present at the site.
The complaint states that due to verbal abuse and disturbance, the construction work remained halted for several hours, amounting to obstruction of official development work. The matter reportedly escalated further when the accused later reached the Sarpanch’s residence and allegedly demanded money in the name of “advertisement”, using intimidation linked to journalism.
Upon inquiry with other Panchayat representatives, it was revealed that the accused is not associated with any recognised newspaper, television channel, or registered media organisation in the district. This raised concerns about fake journalists allegedly extorting money from Panchayats by misusing the credibility of the media profession.
In her memorandum, the Sarpanch stated that failure to take strict action against such individuals would lead to repeated disruption of Panchayat and other government works. She demanded stringent legal action to safeguard public representatives and the integrity of development activities.
Sources also allege that the same individual has attempted extortion and intimidation involving police personnel, further highlighting the seriousness of the matter. Police officials have stated that the complaint is under examination and necessary investigation is underway.
The incident has once again raised questions about the growing misuse of journalism as a cover for illegal activities and whether strict legal measures will be taken to protect the credibility of the press.
