‘I won’t be silenced by pressure,’ says the Youtuber as police claim ‘interference’ and ‘communal angle’
NEW DELHI — Bihar Police have booked senior journalist and YouTuber Ajit Anjum for allegedly interfering in the electoral roll revision process and provoking communal tensions. The incident happened on July 12 in Bihar’s Begusarai district, when Anjum visited a polling booth to report on voter enumeration. The FIR was registered on July 13 at the Ballia police station.
The incident once again highlights the inherent danger of repressive action for objective reporting against journalists not belonging to the “Godi” media outlets in the states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies.
बिहार के बेगूसराय में मेरे खिलाफ FIR
— Ajit Anjum (@ajitanjum) July 14, 2025
किए जाने की जानकारी आ रही है . FIR की कॉपी मुझे नहीं मिली है . मैं इंतज़ार कर रहा हूं. दो दिन पहले मैंने बलिया प्रखंड में ' SIR ' के लिए भरे जा रहे FORM में अनियमितता की रिपोर्टिंग की थी . मुझे स्थानीय BDO और SDO की तरफ से कॉल करके वीडियो… pic.twitter.com/uyPOBOv85E
According to the FIR filed by Booth Level Officer (BLO) Mohammed Ansarul Haque, journalist Anjum and his team entered the Block Auditorium in Sahibpur Kamal Assembly constituency without permission. Haque said Anjum questioned him about the number of voters at his booth and specifically asked about Muslim voters — how many had received and submitted forms, media reports reaching here said on Tuesday.
“The YouTuber’s focus was on suggesting that Muslim voters were being harassed, which is completely false. They disrupted my work for over an hour and prevented me from completing the uploading of forms,” Haque claimed in his complaint.
Anjum has been booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including charges of criminal trespass, disobeying a public servant, obstructing government work, and attempting to hurt religious sentiments. He also faces charges under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Ajit Anjum, however, denied the allegations. He said his report was factual and done in the public interest.
“As a responsible journalist, I highlighted how Election Commission rules were not being followed. I didn’t reveal any individual’s identity or show close shots of the forms,” he said.
He further added, “Instead of fixing irregularities, they filed an FIR against me. But I won’t be silenced by pressure.”
DIGIPUB Condemns FIR
Meanwhile, DIGIPUB News India Foundation, a coalition of digital media organisations and independent journalists, has strongly condemned the FIR filed against the journalist, calling it a “direct assault” on independent journalism.
“DIGIPUB News India Foundation strongly condemns the FIR filed against independent senior journalist and YouTuber Ajit Anjum in Begusarai, Bihar and demands that the FIR be immediately withdrawn,” the journalists’ body said in a statement.
“This FIR is not just an attack on an individual journalist – it is a direct assault on independent journalism and the public’s right to know the truth. While reporting from the ground on the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) process in Begusarai, Ajit Anjum highlighted exactly what the people on the ground shared with him. According to him, he was trying to bring out the facts related to SIR. However, this honest effort appears to have displeased the government and administration,” the statement read.
“Ajit Anjum had also raised concerns about violations of the Election Commission’s guidelines in Bihar – something that falls well within the responsibilities of a journalist, not a criminal offense. Instead of addressing those legitimate questions, the Election Commission, through this FIR, has attempted to intimidate not just him but all independent journalists who dare to report from the ground,” the DIGIPUB statement said.
“We stand in solidarity with Ajit Anjum and with every journalist who dares to speak the truth,” the journalists’ body asserted.
Anjum is known for his critical journalism and runs a YouTube channel where he regularly reports on social and political issues. He has worked as managing editor at News 24 and India TV news channels. He was awarded the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2010.
