Assam groups condemn arrest of IIT Bombay scholar Kalparnab Gupta, demand immediate release
Guwahati: The arrest of IIT Bombay research scholar and civil liberties activist Kalparnab Gupta over alleged objectionable Facebook posts has triggered protests from civil society groups in south Assam’s Silchar, who have demanded his immediate release and questioned both the allegations against him and the circumstances surrounding his detention.
Kalparnab, 29, was arrested by Cachar Police on September 28 following a complaint by Bajrang Dal activist Ponkaj Das, who alleged that Gupta had shared “defamatory, hateful and communally provocative” content targeting the Bajrang Dal, RSS and Hindu religious beliefs. Police said digital evidence is being examined as part of the investigation.
The case is registered at Silchar Police Station (Case No. 870/2026) under Sections 353(2), 196(2), 299 and 356(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to court records.
Section 353(2) concerns the circulation of false information, rumours or alarming news with the intent or likelihood of promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between groups; Section 196(2) concerns such offences committed in a place of worship or religious assembly; Section 299 concerns deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings; and Section 356(1) deals with defamation.
Father files complaint over alleged midnight incident
Kalparnab’s father, Satyajit Gupta, separately approached Silchar Sadar Police Station on September 28, alleging that more than 30 people gathered outside his residence at around 11.30 pm on September 27, shouted slogans and used abusive language, and that some allegedly entered the premises by jumping over the locked gate.
He also alleged that the group threatened to have his son taken into police custody and questioned the circumstances under which police subsequently took Gupta from the residence. His complaint sought action against those allegedly involved in trespass and intimidation, as well as protection for his family.
A separate memorandum submitted by Silchar civil society organisations also alleged that a group claiming to be Bajrang Dal members entered the residence and attempted to intimidate the family, calling for action against those responsible.
Police have allegedly not taken any action against those accused in the complaint so far.
An attempt by Northeast Now to reach the Cachar SP proved futile, as he was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.
Public meeting demands Kalparnab’s release
Following a public meeting in Silchar on September 29, a joint statement was issued by Barak Democratic Front chief convenor Pradip Dutta Roy, civil society members Joydeep Bhattacharjee, Arindam Deb and Satyajit Gupta, along with Ajoy Roy.
The statement described the alleged midnight gathering outside Gupta’s residence as an “unethical and unconstitutional attack” on citizens’ democratic rights and questioned the impartiality of the subsequent police action.
The signatories said objections to social media remarks could be addressed through debate or legal remedies, but argued that “no one has the right to take the law into their own hands.” They also warned that such incidents, coupled with administrative inaction, could have a chilling effect on citizens’ freedom of expression in the region.
Posts cited in case largely political criticism
The Facebook posts accessed by Northeast Now include criticism of the BJP and political Hindutva, questions over a Bajrang Dal programme at Cachar College, and commentary on hijab, shakha-sindoor, Sindoor and Saraswati Puja.
One post questions whether the Bajrang Dal is a recognised student organisation and why it was allegedly allowed to use academic space. Another criticises the actions of political Hindutva proponents while referring to non-violence and compassion.
The language in some posts is sharp and sarcastic, but the material reviewed by Northeast Now does not, on its face, contain an explicit call for physical violence against Bajrang Dal members or any identifiable individual. Whether the posts satisfy the legal ingredients of the offences invoked by police remains a matter for investigation and judicial determination.
Court record: Gupta remains in judicial custody
Court records show that Gupta was arrested on September 28 and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Cachar, Silchar. The prosecution relied on the allegations in the FIR, arrest materials and digital evidence and argued that further investigation was required.
The court rejected Gupta’s bail petition at that stage, recording that the material placed before it provided prima facie grounds supporting the arrest and that his release at that stage could affect the investigation. Gupta was remanded to judicial custody until October 9, 2026.
The court papers also record the prosecution’s reliance on electronic evidence and the seizure and examination of devices and social media material.
The bail order, however, is not a finding that Gupta is guilty of the offences alleged against him. The case remains at the investigation stage.