Guwahati: The Assam Women Journalists' Forum (AWJF) has strongly condemned the rearrest of senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder in a second case, just hours after he was granted bail in the first case.

Mozumder, a senior journalist working for a digital news outlet and also the Assistant General Secretary of the Gauhati Press Club, was initially arrested on Tuesday midnight on charges of criminal intimidation and sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. However, these charges claimed to have been false by his family as well as Dilwar himself.

He was detained for over nine hours before his arrest.

In a shocking turn of events, Mozumder was rearrested on Thursday evening, immediately after completing his release formalities, on charges of 'stealing' valuable bank documents. His family and lawyers were not informed about the new case prior to his arrest.

The AWJF has expressed concern over attempts to shift attention away from Mozumder's rearrest and harassment by questioning his legitimacy as a journalist. The forum fears that this narrative may be used to undermine journalists who don't fit the government's definition of a "legitimate" journalist.

The AWJF has extended solidarity to Mozumder, calling for his immediate release and demanding an end to police harassment against him and his family members.