Press Club of India expresses shock over police action against independent journalist Ravi Nair
The Press Club of India has condemned the Gujarat police for seizing electronic devices from independent journalist Ravi Nair and his associates. The organization expressed concern over the lack of digital forensic protocols, such as hash values, and the potential intimidation of journalists.
Why it matters
This incident highlights growing concerns regarding press freedom and the use of state machinery to target investigative journalists in India.
The Press Club of India on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) expressed shock and concern over the Gujarat police searches against independent journalist Ravi Nair, urging the authorities not to “undermine the very principles independent India was built on”.
The Gujarat police on Monday (August 17) seized devices belonging to Mr. Nair, acting on a search warrant issued by a magistrate court.
“The fact that the police seized five devices — including some belonging to Nair’s son and his colleague Sachi Hegde who happened to be at his residence — without providing a hash value for a single one, is extremely disturbing. Without a hash value, it is impossible to know whether a device has been tampered with after seizure,” it said.
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