Intimidation of arrest and threats to livelihood of RTI Activist by Superintendent of Police, Rourkela,
Odisha
Though
the country has got independence since 70 years, the colonial practice of governing the people
and colonial mindset of bureaucracy
still continues in odisha. Their behavior is getting more autocratic,
undemocratic, inhuman and ruthless towards the common people under Nabin Patnaik
Govt. day by day. The common
people are seen abused, humiliated and threatened
by Odisha bureaucracy in their office chamber. The grievances
of the people are neither
addressed nor duly attended
by the Collectors and SPs across the
state. I have come across plethora of complaints
filed against bureaucrats in NHRC, OHRC
seeking enquiry and justice.
I present herewith another case of humiliation
and intimidation shown to an RTI Activist by Superintendent of Police, Rourkela
in his office chamber.
Sri Chakrant Jena is an
ex-service man who retired from army after 16 years of meritorious service. Besides doing some work for livelihood, he is actively involved
in social activities and
rendering voluntary services to the
poor and disadvantaged people
in Rourkela and Sundargarh district. He has also
been associated with Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan as RTI Activist since last five years and
carrying out sensitization programme on RTI and filling RTI to different
offices in order to help
the poor people in their
fight to get justice.
Sri
Chakrant Jena has
filed RTI Application dated 8.12.2016 to the PIO, office of IG, Western Range,
Rourkela seeking information about details of license issued to private
security agencies under Private
securities Regulation Act
and details of procedure followed
for issuing the license etc. which
was forwarded to PIO , office of SP, Rourkela on 13.12.2016. On denial
of information, he filed first
appeal dated 5.1.2017 to the First
Appellate Authority-cum-SP, Rourkela
to direct the PIO to provide complete information. The
office of First Appellate
Authority issued notice to him on 12.1.17
evening by hand to attend the hearing on 14.1.2017
at 10 am. Since S.P did not turn
up till 1.15 AM on that day, he left his office explaining his inability to wait
since he had other engagement. There after he dispatched a letter by post
addressing S.P with a request to notice him again, since Addl. S.P, Rourkela refused to
acknowledge the note in order to show proof
of his presence. On 16-01-2016, he was served another notice by S.P –cum-
Appellate Authority through
Chhend Police station, Rourkela during evening hours to attend a rescheduled date of hearing on
18-01-2016 at 11AM. On 18-01-2016, he was escorted to S.P office on arrival in
time. He made a request to First
Appellate Authority to allow one of my friends inside his chamber to advocate on his behalf. The S.P. refused permission rudely. He
was visibly angry and the tone and tenor of his expression was demeaning and unbecoming of an IPS officer. He said
that the letter written to him to establish
presence of Sri Jena on 14-01-2016 for hearing was beyond any
courtesy and decorum supposed to
be followed by a common man while communicating with S.P. The SP intimidated Sri Jena to implicate him in criminal case happening
around my residential colony and
get him arrested. Then the SP asked HIM about his livelihood. Sri Jena said that
he worked as a supervisor/ sub-contractor under
contractors, and helped his father in farming work after retirement from army. Immediately the SP threatened him to thwart his business to put him and his family in distressing condition. Sri Jena got
terribly disturbed. The SP did
not hear my case and asked him to get out from the office.
It is unfortunate that the Police authorities, who are given the responsibility to protect the rights citizens, are threatening to take away their rights to life and livelihood. The very presence of a police officer which would have been a solace for common men in entire police district is responsible for causing distress, insecurity and fear in public mind.
On 21.1.17, Sri Jena has filed
complaint petition to National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi demanding enquiry
into it and legal action against SP, Rourkela.
He has also filed petition to Chief Secretary, Govt. of Odisha
and Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs,
Govt. of India demanding arrest of SP
and seeking police protection due to
threats given by SP, Rourkela.
Sri
Jena has also requested RTI
fraternity and Human Rights Activists
to help hm to get justice.
Pradip Pradhan
RTI Activist
M-9937843482
Date-23.1.17
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