Scribe Sunil Kumar Das, who works in an Odia news channel here, was arrested and later, released on bail on December 21.
Sources revealed that on July 16, his channel had telecast a news showing that four labourers such as Sunaram Munda, Rajesh Munda, Sunia Munda and Mangal Munda, all from Gamalai village under Balani police station limits of Keonjhar district, engaged in stone packing work in the Sidhamatha reserve forest under Barbil area were complaining that they were paid less than the actual rate and their dues were misappropriated by the department officials.
The four labourers alleged that though they had given byte to reporter Das regarding the problem of electricity and water of their locality, but instead of showing that the reporter misrepresented their statements by twisting the byte which has humiliated them in the locality. For redressal of their grievances, they had filed a case in the JMFC Court, Barbil and the court after taking into cognizance the evidence of the matter had issued notice to the accused to appear in the court.
But as he failed to appear on the fixed date, the court had issued warrant orders to the local police to produce him in the court by arresting the accused.
However, Das, when contacted, told that he would move a higher court against the order.