Assam Congress spokesperson Reetam Singh was arrested again by Jagiroad police on Saturday, moments after stepping out of Morigaon jail where he had secured bail on Friday — a development the state Congress has described as a “violation” of human rights and freedom of speech.

Reetam had been in police and judicial custody since his arrest by Lakhimpur police on 15 March, following a complaint lodged by the wife of a ruling BJP MLA regarding a social media post allegedly “defaming” her husband and her father.

As the father belongs to the Scheduled Caste community, the police registered the case under the stringent SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, in addition to relevant sections of the defamation and IT acts.

Though he secured bail in the Lakhimpur case, he was soon arrested again on 4 April in a second case registered in Morigaon, also under the SC/ST Act.

On Saturday, a police official confirmed Singh’s latest arrest by Jagiroad police under the same Act but refused to provide further details. Sources indicated that, similar to the Morigaon case, the complaint in Jagiroad was also lodged by individuals associated with the ruling BJP, again in connection with a social media post.

Singh’s parents and legal counsel described the re-arrest as “illegal,” adding that they were unaware of the grounds on which Jagiroad police had takenhim into custody.

Reetam, who is himself an advocate, had been granted bail by the Gauhati High Court in the Morigaon case on Friday. However, as he exited Morigaon jail on Saturday, he was immediately detained by Jagiroad police waiting atthe gate.

In a distressing scene, Singh’s distraught father was seen trying to speak with his son inside the police vehicle. Overwhelmed with frustration, he lay down on the road to block the vehicle’s passage but was removed by police officers and advised to visit Jagiroad police station, about 28km from the Morigaon jail, to obtain case details.

The Assam Congress posted a video of the emotional exchange between Singh’s father and his son, describing Reetam as “a young voice silenced for speaking the truth. Reetam has been subjected to repeated arrests, treated as if he were a dangerous criminal, when his only ‘crime’ was exposing BJP leaders through his social media posts.”

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah condemned the re-arrest and accused chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of “curbing the people’s freedom of speech.”

“Treating Reetam like a hardened criminal by dragging him from one police station to another and denying his parents a chance to meet him is a clear violation of human rights,” Borah said.

Entrepreneur Ved Borah also expressed concern on social media platform X, saying, “Accountability is important. But when bail is granted and arrests follow back-to-back from different stations, it begins to feel less like due process and more like harassment. Free speech should be challenged legally, not stifled systematically.”