UNI office sealed in Delhi; staffers allege manhandling by the police

The Delhi Police along with paramilitary forces on Friday (March 20, 2026) allegedly dragged at least 50 journalists out of the United News of India’s (UNI) Rafi Marg office following a court order over a land dispute.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma told The Hindu that the Delhi Police along with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel visited the premises of the UNI office to provide security to the Land and Development Office after the High Court gave an order to vacate the premises in favour of the latter. “As per the HC order, we were there to provide security to the L&DO officers and asked all UNI staffers to vacate the premises,” said Mr. Sharma.

The case pertained to an order issued by the Land and Development Office under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, which had asked the news agency to vacate the premises.

The High Court on Friday had upheld the cancellation of the land allotment made to UNI at Rafi Marg, observing that the agency failed to construct a building on the plot for over four decades and effectively “squatted on valuable public land”.

The High Court had found no illegality in the March 29, 2023 cancellation letter issued by the L&DO, which had revoked UNI’s allotment of land at Rafi Marg. UNI had moved the court against the cancellation letter in 2023. It noted that under the original allotment terms dating back to 1979, UNI was required to complete the construction of a composite office complex within two years of taking possession. However, no construction activity was undertaken and even preliminary steps towards the project were not initiated.

The order records that the land was originally intended to be jointly used by UNI, the Press Club of India and the Press Association, but the primary allottee failed to fulfil its obligations.

‘No notice was given’

Sabir Haque, a UNI staffer told The Hindu that the police arrived around 6 p.m. on Friday and without showing any notice or giving any time, asked all staffers to vacate. “They were not giving us time to speak to our management. They did not allow reporters who had gone out for assignments to enter the office for collecting their belongings,” said Mr. Haque. Meanwhile, the police dragged all employees, even women from their seats, and pushed them out of the office, he said.

Taking to social media platform X, the news organisation wrote, “Despite requests from employees to be given some time and to wait for the arrival of company management, and demands to show a notice, they forcibly dragged and pushed some employees, including female staff, away from their seats and out of the newsroom. The employees were also subjected to verbal abuse”.

However, the DCP said that no journalists were manhandled. “We have made video recordings of the entire process,” he said.

The UNI further alleged in its statement that the police threatened the employees by stating that if they “did not leave peacefully, they would have to use force”.

At present, the Delhi Police has sealed the office premises. A notice hung on its gate reads that the premises has been taken over by the Government of India on March 20, pursuant to the judgment dated March 20 of the Honourable Delhi High Court. “Any entry, occupation, or use of the premises by any person without authorisation of L&DO is strictly prohibited and will invite action under law,” read the notice.

(With inputs from Rocky Singh)