Akarsh Uppal is a freelance journalist who runs a Hindi YouTube channel named IBN24 and is the director and editor of Karnal-based IBN24 News Network. He came into limelight in May 2023 when Haryana Police arrested him in Karnal.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Akarsh completed his schooling from Delhi Public School in 2001 and graduated in Arts from IASE University, Churu District, Sardarshahar, Rajasthan in 2008.
Physical Appearance
Height: 5’10
Hair Color: Black
Eye colour: black
Family
parents and siblings
There is not much information about the parents or siblings of Charms Uppal.
wife and children
Akarsh married Monica in a private ceremony on 15 April 2009. The couple has a daughter.
Charm Uppal with Monica and her daughter
livelihood
business area
Akarsh started his career at Tata Teleservices in December 2007 as a team leader. In January 2014, Charm Green joined Mansion-Building Lights as Finance Director and worked there for almost three years. He then went to work as Managing Director at Big Save Deals.com Online Services in October 2015, where he worked until April 2017.
journalism
He ventured into journalism and started working as the editor-in-chief at Karnal Reporter Newspaper in 2009, where he continued to work till 2014. After leaving Big Save Deals.com, Akarsh joined IBN24 News Network as Crime Editor in November 2016.
controversies
In 2020, Akarsh Uppal faced threats and physical attack in Karnal soon after reporting a drug-related incident. According to the news channel’s account, Uppal revealed the persons involved in the drug case after being contacted by an anonymous informant. The informant claimed that the police have arrested at least three persons In Ramnagar located in Shiv Colony of Karnal. One of the suspects, Gurmeet Singh, was arrested shortly after Uppal covered the story. Unfortunately, Singh died in custody two weeks after his arrest. After Singh’s demise, Uppal and his family allegedly received threatening calls from the accused’s elder brother Ghelu. Ghelu held the journalist responsible for his brother’s apprehension. Nevertheless, the police later clarified that Uppal was present at the scene only to report the incident and had no involvement in Singh’s arrest. On 7 December 2020, Uppal was attacked with sticks and sharp objects, leaving him seriously injured. The news channel condemned this incident on Facebook Live. After this the police arrested five people involved in the attack. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar met the journalist in the hospital and ensured security measures for him and his family.
Two others, including Akharshan, were arrested for allegedly obstructing the proceedings of the Tehsildar in Karnal.
In May 2023, Akarsh and Sumit Kumar were arrested by the Civil Lines Police of Karnal for allegedly misbehaving with a woman tehsildar in the local tehsil premises. Those detained have been identified as Akarshna Uppal, who runs a YouTube channel, and Sumit Kumar, a city resident. According to the details given by the woman tehsildar to the officials, Sumit had gone to her office for land registration, but he did not have the complete documents. He instructed him to return with all the necessary papers. Instead, Sumit approached journalist Uppal and along with a group, they entered his office and created a disturbance. They further accused him of disorderly conduct. Both were produced in the court and later sent to judicial custody. The bail plea filed by his legal representatives was heard at a later date. Both men were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 186, 34, 342, 353, 354-B, 354, 506, and 509, as well as sections 67, 67(A), and 67 are included. Information Technology Act. After Uppal’s arrest, his supporters from social and political groups gathered at the Civil Lines police station in solidarity. They also took out a procession towards the Superintendent of Police office. Uppal’s family sought permission to meet him, which was granted by Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Mukesh Kumar. Uppal’s wife Monica alleged that he was wrongly arrested for raising public concerns. In an interview he said,
All sections of the law imposed against him should be immediately withdrawn. He was barely performing his duty as a journalist. He was just bringing out the truth. People were complaining that their work was not being done in the (Tehsildar’s) office. He simply saw it as his duty. Yesterday evening he went out for a walk and did not return. His phone was also switched off. We have not come here to create any disturbance in law and order. We are here only to protest against the wrongs done to attraction. He is a respected member of the society. He has always helped the needy people. As part of his duty he was only exposing the truth. Arresting him is nothing but suppressing the truth and punishing a person who was questioning the authorities for his wrongdoings.
Akarsh Uppal vs Bajaj Finance
In 2020, Akarsh Uppal did a live broadcast on Facebook and shared the video in which he made allegations of fraudulent activities and schemes involving Bajaj Finance Pvt. Ltd. Following this, Bajaj Finance filed a legal case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against Akharshan Uppal and his IBN24 team members. His petition seeks to restrain him from circulating, posting or making statements on any social media platform that could potentially misinform the public.
Facts/General Knowledge
- In 2020, a false claim went viral on social media that Akarshna Uppal was attacked by goons while working on a case study for IBN24 after she exposed the Adani Group’s land deals.
- Akarsh’s YouTube digital news platform IBN24 has 1.34M subscribers as of 2023.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn