Taibur Rahman Mozumder, the brother of Assam journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, was arrested on April 2 in Hojai district on multiple charges, including land grabbing, forgery, and criminal breach of trust. Hojai District Superintendent of Police (DSP) Saurabh Gupta confirmed the arrest, stating that Mozumder was taken into custody based on a case registered against him. “He has been accused of illegal land dealings and forgery. The investigation is ongoing,” Gupta said. The arrest has sparked controversy as Taibur Rahman is the sibling of Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, a senior journalist and assistant general secretary of the Gauhati Press Club. Dilwar was arrested last week by Guwahati Police in connection with two cases filed by a bank employee and the managing director of Assam Cooperative Apex Bank. The journalist was apprehended while covering a protest related to an alleged scam in the bank but was later granted bail in both cases.
Reacting to the arrest, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that the Mozumder family has a long history of illegal land brokering. “Dilwar’s brother is a known illegal land broker. He was arrested in 2021 as well, and a charge sheet was filed against him. Despite that, he continued working as a government school teacher without suspension. This shows the depth of their influence,” Sarma said while speaking at an event in Biswanath district. The Chief Minister further dismissed Dilwar Hussain’s credentials as a journalist, stating that he is primarily a businessman. “Dilwar is not a recognised journalist under government norms. He is in the dumper business and has no professional background as a reporter. If you ask people in Hojai, they will confirm that the entire family is involved in illegal land dealings,” Sarma added.
The arrest of the journalist last week had triggered widespread protests across Assam and other parts of the country, with media organizations questioning the legitimacy of the police action against an on-duty journalist. The latest arrest of his brother has further intensified the debate, with critics alleging political motives behind the crackdown.