New Delhi, March 21 IPU Media Update News : The office of the United News of India (UNI) news agency, located in the national capital, Delhi, was sealed on Friday night. Paramilitary forces and the Delhi Police jointly raided the office premises. Approximately 50 journalists were evicted from the building. Acting on court orders issued in the context of a land dispute, the police took possession of the UNI office situated on Rafi Marg. Deputy Commissioner Sachin Sharma stated that the UNI staff were evacuated to provide security cover to officials from the Land and Development Office, in compliance with High Court directives.

However, in a statement issued subsequently, UNI asserted that it had not received any prior notice regarding the action. The organization alleged that the office was forcibly vacated. UNI further claimed that some employees were physically dragged out of the premises. The police sealed the UNI office on Friday night following the cancellation of the land allotment originally granted to the news agency. The office premises were taken into custody under the authority of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. UNI termed the government’s action as an assault on press freedom. In its verdict, the High Court observed that the agency had not undertaken any construction work on the land which was allotted four decades ago to date. The High Court further noted that, in accordance with the 1979 Land Allotment Act, construction must commence within two years of receiving the land, a requirement that UNI failed to fulfill.

—- M Venkata T Reddy, News Editor and Investigative Journalist