Top News

The office of United News of India (UNI) in central Delhi was sealed on Friday following a court-backed government action, triggering a sharp dispute between the media organisation and authorities over press freedom and legal compliance.

The premises on Rafi Marg were taken over by officials from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ Land and Development Office (L&DO), supported by a significant police presence, after the Delhi High Court upheld the cancellation of the agency’s land allotment. The court dismissed UNI’s petition challenging the government’s decision, effectively clearing the way for authorities to assume control of the property.

UNI and its parent company, The Statesman, condemned the move in strong terms, describing it as an “unprecedented atrocity” and an “attack on freedom of media”. The organisation alleged that employees were forcibly evicted without being given time to collect personal belongings and claimed that women journalists were manhandled during the operation. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show a confrontation in which a woman journalist fell during an altercation with police personnel.

However, police officials rejected allegations of misconduct. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma said the operation followed due legal process and was fully documented, adding that no wrongdoing had occurred.

The dispute stems from a long-running issue over the allotment of the land, originally granted to UNI in 1979 for the construction of an office complex. According to government officials, the allotment was cancelled in March 2023 after the agency failed to develop the site for more than four decades, despite repeated notices and extensions. Authorities also cited non-payment of ground rent, unauthorised commercial use and failure to meet contractual obligations as grounds for cancellation.

In its ruling, the Delhi High Court found that UNI had committed a fundamental breach of the allotment conditions, noting delays attributed to financial constraints and a lack of progress in development plans. The court held that the allotment was conditional and that its cancellation was justified in the public interest, particularly given the high value of the land.

Government officials said the plot, spanning over 5,000 square metres in a prime location, carries significant public value and had remained underutilised for decades. Following the court’s order, authorities formally took possession of the property and issued a notice prohibiting unauthorised entry or use.

While the government maintains that the action was a lawful enforcement of court directives, the incident has raised broader concerns about the treatment of media institutions and the implications for press freedom in India. UNI has stated that the manner in which the operation was conducted warrants serious scrutiny, even as the legal basis for the eviction stands upheld.

With PTI inputs