In December 2025 and early January 2026, the Punjab Police, reportedly acting under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government, registered First Information Reports (FIRs) against a group of journalists, social media activists, YouTubers, and an RTI (Right to Information) activist. These cases reportedly arose from reporting and social media posts questioning and investigating the official helicopter usage by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during government and foreign travel.
The FIRs, filed by the Ludhiana Urban Cyber Crime police, reportedly target individuals for alleged misinformation or distortion in their posts and reporting. This move has sparked significant concern among journalist associations and civil society, who argue that these actions are an attempt to intimidate the press rather than a legitimate legal response.
While official FIR lists are not always fully public, journalist bodies and press unions have identified key individuals affected. These include Maninderjit Singh Sidhu, Mintu Gursaria, Mandeep Singh Makkar, Manik Goyal, and six other social media activists or YouTubers from the Ludhiana region. Many of these individuals have approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the quashing of FIRs, arguing that they were targeted for exercising their right to report on matters of public interest.
The registration of these FIRs has been widely condemned. The Punjab & Chandigarh Journalists’ Union issued an official statement calling the cybercrime FIRs “an attack on media freedom” and demanded their immediate withdrawal. Similarly, the Chandigarh Press Club described the FIRs as “an assault on press freedom” and emphasized that legal disputes should not criminalize legitimate reporting.
Political leaders across parties, including Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal and BJP Punjab leaders, have criticized the move as a misuse of state machinery to silence dissenting voices. Journalist bodies in Chandigarh and Bathinda have announced protests and demonstrations, warning that criminalizing journalistic reporting undermines democratic norms and weakens accountability in governance.
These FIRs highlight a broader concern for press freedom in Punjab. Legal actions against journalists, especially those reporting on public interest issues such as official expenditure and government accountability, threaten the democratic principle of free expression enshrined under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. Critics argue that criminalizing investigative reporting can create a chilling effect on media professionals and discourage transparency in governance.
In conclusion, the registration of FIRs against journalists, YouTubers, and RTI activists in Punjab has sparked widespread condemnation from press bodies, political leaders, and civil society. Experts emphasize that these legal measures undermine press freedom, send a chilling message to journalists, and reflect a pattern of intimidation rather than transparent governance. Legal petitions and protests are expected to continue, as journalists and civil society push for protection of free speech and an end to punitive actions against media professionals.