Gujarat High Court denies anticipatory bail to journalist accused of impersonating GPCB officer for extortion
A Gujarat High Court bench rejected an anticipatory bail application from a journalist accused of impersonating Gujarat Pollution Control Board officers and demanding money from a factory owner. The applicant had claimed he merely recorded videos of contaminated water as a journalist and did not personally demand the ₹21,000 payment.
The court found material evidence from investigation, including statements from co-accused naming the applicant's participation in the alleged scheme. Judge Sanjeev J. Thaker held that the applicant could not seek anticipatory bail solely on grounds of not personally demanding money or claiming journalistic purpose.
The FIR was registered at Junagadh Taluka Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, alleging the group impersonated GPCB officers, recorded videos of contaminated water at factories, and extorted money for deletion.
