Amid outcry by media bodies and political parties over the FIR lodged against the newspaper and its reporter for news report about the alleged Aadhaar data breach, the Government and Aadhaar-issuing body UIDAI on Monday said the case has been lodged against unknown accused persons and there was no attempt to muzzle the Press.
Despite these clarifications, the fact remains that on compliant received from the UIDAI, the Delhi Police had named four persons in the FIR, including the reporter.
However, law and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and the UIADI said the reporters did not figure as an accused in the FIR.
“The Government is fully committed to freedom of Press as well as to maintaining security and sanctity of Aadhaar for India’s development. FIR is against unknown,” the law Minister tweeted.
“I’ve suggested UIDAI to request The Tribune and its journalist to provide all assistance to police to apprehend real offenders,” he said.
The UIDAI said it is committed to the freedom of the Press and will approach the newspaper and its reporter for help in the investigation of alleged data breach.
“We’re going to write to @thetribunechd and @rachnakhaira to give all assistance to investigate to nab the real culprits.
We also appreciate if Tribune and its journalist have any constructive suggestion to offer,” the UIDAI said in a tweet.
After filing the police complaint, the UIDAI had, in an earlier statement, said, “This is a case in which even though there was no breach of Aadhaar biometric database, because UIDAI takes every criminal violation seriously, it is for the act of unauthorised access, criminal proceedings have been initiated.”
The UIDAI had also said it respects free speech, including the freedom of the press, and its police complaint should not be viewed as “shooting the messenger”.
The FIR attracted strong criticism from various media organisations and bodies, including The Editors Guild of India which sought withdrawal of the case.
Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Harish Khare had said in a statement on Sunday that “the authorities have misconceived an honest journalistic enterprise and have proceeded to institute criminal proceedings against the whistleblower”.
He said the daily would explore “all legal options” open to it to defend its freedom to undertake serious investigative journalism.
Meanwhile, the Editor’s Guild of India said it “condemns UIDAI’s action to have The Tribune reporter booked by police as it is clearly meant to browbeat a journalist whose investigation on the matter was of great public interest”. Terming the UIDAI’s action as unfair and unjustified, it said the FIR was “a direct attack on the freedom of the press”.