Aakarshan Uppal Wiki, Age, Children, Family, Biography & More

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Aakarshan Uppal is a freelance journalist who runs the Hindi YouTube channel named IBN24 and is the director and editor of Karnal-based IBN24 News Network. He hit the headlines in May 2023 after the Haryana police arrested him in Karnal.

Contents

Wiki/Biography

Aakarshan completed his schooling at Delhi Public School in 2001 and graduated in Arts from IASE University, Churu District, Sardarshahr, Rajasthan in 2008.

Physical Appearance

Height: 5’10

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

There is not much information on Aakarshan Uppal’s parents or siblings.

Wife & Children

Aakarshan married Monika on 15 April 2009 in a private ceremony. The couple have a daughter together.

Aakarshan Uppal with Monica and their daughter

Career

Corporate Sector

Aakarshan began his career as a Team Leader at Tata Teleservices in December 2007. In January 2014, Aakarshan joined Green Mansions-building lights as the finance director and worked there for almost three years. He then went to work at Big Save Deals.Com Online Services as the Managing Director in October 2015, where he worked till April 2017.

Journalism

He ventured into journalism and started working as a Chief Editor at Karnal Reporter NewsPaper in 2009, where he continued to work till 2014. After leaving Big Save Deals.Com Aakarshan joined IBN24 News Network as the Crime editor in November 2016.

Controversies

Journalist Aakarshan Uppal was assaulted after covering a drug-related case for IBN24

In 2020, Aakarshan Uppal faced a threat and physical assault in Karnal shortly after he reported a drug-related incident. According to the news channel’s account, Uppal uncovered individuals involved in the drug case after being contacted by an anonymous informant. The informant claimed that the police had apprehended at least three individuals in Ramanagar, located in the Shiv Colony of Karnal. One of the suspects, Gurmeet Singh, was arrested sometime after Uppal covered the story. Unfortunately, Singh passed away in custody two weeks after his arrest. Following Singh’s demise, Uppal and his family reportedly received threatening phone calls from the older brother of the accused, Ghelu. Ghelu held the journalist responsible for his brother’s apprehension. Nevertheless, the police later clarified that Uppal was present at the scene solely to report the incident and had no involvement in Singh’s arrest. On 7 December 2020, Uppal was attacked with lathis and sharp objects, resulting in severe injuries. The news channel condemned this incident on Facebook Live. Subsequently, the police arrested five individuals involved in the attack. The Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, visited the journalist in the hospital and ensured safety measures for him and his family. ^[1]The Logical Indian

Aakarshan among two others arrested for allegedly disrupting the Tehsildar’s proceedings in Karnal

In May 2023, Aakarshan and Sumit Kumar were apprehended by the Civil Lines police in Karnal on charges of allegedly behaving inappropriately with a female tehsildar in the local tehsil premises. The detainees were identified as Aakarshan Uppal, who manages a YouTube channel, and Sumit Kumar, a city resident. According to the female tehsildar’s account to the authorities, Sumit visited her office for land registration but lacked complete documentation. She instructed him to return with all the necessary papers. Instead, Sumit contacted journalist Uppal, and together with a group, they entered her office and created a disturbance. She further accused them of disorderly conduct. The two were presented in court and subsequently remanded in judicial custody. The hearing for the bail plea filed by their legal representatives took place at a later date. Both individuals 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 of the Information Technology Act. After Uppal was arrested, his supporters from social and political groups gathered at the Civil Lines police station in solidarity. They even organized a procession towards the Superintendent of Police’s office. Uppal’s family requested permission to meet him, which was facilitated by Mukesh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters). Uppal’s wife, Monika, alleged that he was unfairly arrested for raising public concerns. In an interview she said,

All the sections of law imposed against him should immediately be withdrawn. He was barely performing his duty as a journalist. He was only bringing truth to the fore. People were complaining that their work was not being done at the (tehsildar’s) office. He only showed that as part of his duty. Yesterday evening, he went for his walk and never came back. His phone was also switched off. We have not come here to create any law and order disruption. We have only come here to protest against the wrong committed to Akarshan. He is a respectable member of the society. He has always helped people in need. As part of his duty, he had only been exposing the truth. Arresting him is nothing but suppressing the truth and punishing a man who had been questioning the authorities for their wrongdoings.” ^[2]The Tribune

Aakarshan Uppal vs Bajaj Finance

In 2020, Akarshan Uppal conducted a live broadcast on Facebook and shared videos in which he made accusations of fraudulent activities and schemes involving Bajaj Finance Private Limited. Subsequently, Bajaj Finance filed a legal case against Aakarshan Uppal and his IBN24 team members in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Their petition sought to prevent them from disseminating, posting, or making statements on any social media platform that could potentially misinform the public. ^[3]CaseMine

Facts/Trivia

In 2020, a false claim stating Aakarshan Uppal, while working on a case study for IBN24, was attacked by goons after he exposed the Adani group’s land deals had gone viral on social media.