News agency UNI office sealed in India, Bangladeshi journalists’ association demands immediate unlocking

POBNEWS24, Desk report Dhaka Mar 21, 2026 : New Delhi police have sealed the office of news agency UNI in New Delhi on a court order. The news agency and its owner, Statesman, have released photos and videos of the clash between the staff and the police.
UNI said in an ex-post, “The sealing of the office of United News of India (UNI), one of the oldest and most respected news agencies in the country, has raised serious concerns about the freedom of the press. The staff were forcibly evicted and many were not allowed to take their personal belongings.
“Women journalists were misbehaved with by Delhi Police personnel. Some police personnel were drunk while on duty. Two lawyers and Delhi Police personnel abused some of them.”
Senior Delhi Police officials have denied allegations that some policemen were drunk or misbehaved with female staffers.
A police officer said, “All legal procedures were followed and no action was taken beyond the legal limits. The entire incident was videotaped.”
CPI MP Santosh Kumar said in a statement, “The forcible occupation of UNI’s Rafi Marg office by Delhi Police is a grave and unprecedented attack on the freedom of the press in India… The entire operation was carried out with utter disregard for law, dignity and democratic values.
“The sight of journalists being beaten up in their own newsroom is a chilling reminder of how fragile press freedom has become in today’s India,” he said.
UNI has challenged an order issued by the Department of Land and Development under the Housing Ministry, which had asked the news agency to vacate the premises for failing to construct the proposed integrated office complex.
Rejecting the UNI’s plea, the Delhi High Court said, “Valuable government land is practically held hostage by a licensee (UNI) who has failed to fulfill its responsibilities for decades.”
Bangladeshi journalist organizations have strongly condemned this attack on the media by the ruling party as undesirable.
Dhaka Union of Journalists, BFUJ, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Dhaka Reporters Unity, Bangladesh Media Workers Foundation have strongly condemned the attack and said that the UNI office should be unlocked immediately and media workers should be allowed to work.