Radio France Journalist departs India following work permit denial by MHA
New Delhi: Sebastien Farcis, a South Asian correspondent for Radio France Internationale, departed India on Monday after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) denied the renewal of his work permit, despite multiple appeals. Farcis is the second French journalist to leave India within four months, following Vanessa Dougnac's departure in February.
The situation began on March 7th, when the MHA refused to renew Farcis's journalist permit without providing any reasons. Farcis, who has worked in India for 13 years, stated that he always adhered to regulations for foreign journalists and avoided restricted areas unless permitted by the MHA. The decision came as a shock to him, especially during the eve of the Lok Sabha elections, officially preventing him from covering the event.
Farcis, who holds Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status and is married to an Indian woman, referred to India as his "second homeland." Besides Radio France, he also reported for Liberation and the Swiss and Belgian public radios. In a statement published on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday, Farcis wrote, "This denial [of permit] comes in a worrying context of increasing restrictions on the work of foreign journalists… At least five OCI foreign correspondents have been banned from working as journalists in less than two years."
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent media watchdog, has called on the Indian government to renew Farcis's journalism permit immediately. CPJ's India representative, Kunal Majumder, stated, "The departure of Sébastien Farcis highlights the increasing challenges faced by foreign journalists in India. The arbitrary refusal to renew his journalism permit, without explanation, undermines press freedom and disrupts journalists’ lives." He urged authorities to "ensure that all journalists can work without fear of unjust reprisal, upholding India’s democratic values."
Attempts by CPJ to contact Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla for comment were unsuccessful. Reporters Without Borders, an international NGO advocating for press freedom, has ranked India 159th in the World Press Freedom Index, noting that such a position is unbecoming of a democratic nation.
After 13 years working as a correspondent in India, the authorities have denied me a permit to work as a journalist. I have thus been forced to leave the country.
— Sébastien Farcis (@sebfarcis) June 20, 2024
Here is my statement. pic.twitter.com/m52Q4ABsRk
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
