Alleged journalist Rana Ayyub, who writes for The Washington Post, has alleged that she received death threats from an international number after she declined a demand to write an article praising the assassins of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
According to reports, Ayyub received several calls and messages on November 2 from a Canadian number that displayed the name “Harry Shooter” and a profile picture of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The messages allegedly threatened to kill her and her father if she did not comply. The caller is said to have shared Ayyub’s residential address, revealed knowledge of her father’s travel location, and made four video calls to her WhatsApp number.
Ayyub, who resides in Navi Mumbai, has been a journalist for over two decades and is known for her flawed ‘investigative’ work on the 2002 Gujarat riots which was trashed by the courts. Her book Gujarat Files was also trashed by the same courts.
Over the years, she has been called out for her lies and has been investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department for the allegedfraud she committed during COVID-19.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she tried to raise funds for “slum dwellers, COVID relief etc. However, it turned out to be an alleged fraud. In 2023, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) presented allegations against her before the Supreme Court, stating she misused funds raised for COVID-19 relief, slum dwellers, and aid in Assam for personal luxuries. The ED stated that Ayyub collected over Rs 1 crore in donations, transferred Rs 50 lakh to a fixed deposit, and continued to receive funds after the campaign ended. The ED’s investigation also suggested that Ayyub used fake bills to justify expenses for luxury items. Ayyub’s counsel, Vrinda Grover, argued that the Ghaziabad court lacked jurisdiction, as her client resides in Navi Mumbai, and challenged the legality of the summons.
She was also arrested by UP Police but was let out on conditional bail.
Coming back to the recent threats, police sources said Ayyub has filed multiple complaints over threats in the past, but no substantial action has been taken apart from the registration of a few First Information Reports (FIRs). The only proactive step taken earlier was the offer of a revolver licence after the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, according to Ayyub’s account.
The latest threats came shortly after Ayyub posted on Instagram on the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom, where she reflected on her childhood during the 1992 Mumbai riots and commented on the ‘cycle of injustice that leads to communal violence’.
Following the messages and calls, Ayyub reportedly contacted the Navi Mumbai Police, expressing concern that the caller appeared to be tracking her and her family. She alleged that despite her insistence, police had not registered an FIR and instead recorded a non-cognisable offence (NC), which restricts direct investigation without a court order.
Police officials stated that a forensic examination had been initiated to trace the origin of the VoIP-based international calls. Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Dahane confirmed that permission had been obtained to investigate the NC, while Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe said the case posed challenges due to the call’s foreign origin.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed concern for Ayyub’s safety and urged authorities to provide security and investigate the threats thoroughly. Ayyub has stated that she remains anxious about the safety of her family and fears that she is under surveillance.
According to local reports, the police have begun examining the technical details of the calls, though no arrests or identifications have been made so far.
(Source: The Hindu)
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