To
Hon’ble Justice
Shri Ajit Singh, Date-
11.2.20
Chairman,
Lokayukta, Odisha
Bhubaneswar
Sub- Request for a high-level inquiry into repeated life killing
threats culminating in a well-designed,
cold-blooded and barbarous murder of a firebrand anti-corruption whistle blower
and a relentless RTI Activist, Ranjan Kumar Das (an SC person) in Kendrapara District of Odisha and
connected matters- regarding
Esteemed Sir,
We, the RTI Activists do earnestly
urge your immediate intervention for undertaking an impartial investigation and
stern action against the conspirators and perpetrators of recent wave of life
killing threats and attack on RTI Activists in the state of Odisha including
the latest incident of cold-blooded,
brutal murder of Ranjan Kumar Das, who being an SC person himself, acted
as a fire brand whistle-blower against multifarious incidents of corruption in
public sphere through his avid use of
RTI Act as a tool for exposure and disclosure of such acts of corruption.
1. As you might know, following the implementation of RTI Act 2005, several
social activists have been
engaged in grounding of this historic legislation at grassroots level, by way
of undertaking umpteen exercises that include conducting training and orientation programmes on RTI
related provisions and procedures, the sole objective being how to infuse transparency and as well expose corruption and irregularities in implementation of various Govt. schemes and programmes meant
for the poor, downtrodden and marginalized sections of society. Having been
terribly disturbed and panicked by such
constant exposure of acts of corruption
and illegalites, various vested interest groups
including companies, contractors and
corrupt officials continued to
hatch conspiracy after conspiracy to somehow deter and detract the RTI activists and RTI users by way of resorting to several foul means,
such as by offering bribe for withdrawal of RTI Applications,
threatening them of dire consequence, physically
attacking them, instituting false cases and putting them
behind bars, making them permanently
disabled and if every such tact failed,
lastly by finishing them off by engineering cold-blooded murder. Within last 15 years , Odisha has witnessed gruesome murder
of 4 RTI Activists and more than 40 RTI Activists having been threatened, attacked, injured and
permanently disabled.
2. Over the years the RTI Activists as soon as they heard of
such tragic incidents of attack and murder, had filed complaint/ petitions before
different public authorities such as office of Chief Minister Odisha, DG
Police and State Vigilance. But,
unfortunately enough, their complaints were
neither heard nor acted upon and
were rather kept pending for years on
end on the facile excuse of ‘under-consideration’ or ‘under inquiry’. In view
of such a grim reality then prevailing,
the constitution of Lokayukta
in the state kindled a good
deal of hope among
the anti-corruption activists that
their complaints would
thenceforth be properly inquired into and culprits brought to book, all in a
proactive time-bound manner.
3. The prompt order/ action taken by the Lokayukta, Odisha following
complaints of corruption
filed by RTI Activists and the
common members of public e
has created a havoc among vested
interest groups and corrupt
officials, who in order to escape the penal consequences,
do adopt
various devious tricks against the complainants so as to silence
them, such as by issuing
threats of attack, intimidation, offer of bribe, engaging of go-betweens for
influencing the complainant to withdraw the case and lastly by mounting murderous attack on them. We present
herewith three cases of virulent attacks on RTI
Activists and anti-corruption complainats
for a kind perusal by Lokaykta, Odisha.
4. Sri Srikant Pakal , an RTI
Activist had filed
a complaint alleging corruption
and misappropriation of
funds by Sri Bishnupada Sethy , IAS, the then MIC,
Odisha State Cooperative Bank and
presently working as Secretary, Dept. of Energy, Govt. of
Odisha. The Lokayukta has taken cognizance of the complaint case
registering it as LY No. 110/19
and issued notice to Sri Bishnupada Sethy. While Sri Sethy
has filed time petition for submission of his reply on one
hand, he has engaged middleman to
influence the complainant to
withdraw the case under
the threats of attack . On
20.1.20, Sri Srikant Pakal had filed a complaint to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cuttack seeking
an inquiry into life-killing
threats by miscreants engaged by Bishnupada Sethy ( Annexture-1). On
10.2.2020, Sri Pakal had submitted
a petition to the
Director General of Police,
Odisha seeking an inquiry into such
threats .( annexture-2). Though one month
has passed on, the DCP, Cuttack has not
conducted any inquiry into it.
5. Similarly, Sri Raj Kishor
Nayak, RTI Activist of Mayurbhanj who
had filed multiple complaints (LY No. 560/19 and LY No. 635/19 ) against
BDO, Kaptipada, and local
Sarapanch seeking inquiry into
alleged corruption and
irregularities in allotment of houses
under PMAY/ Biju Pucca Gruha
Yojana have received mortal threats from vested interest groups. Being unnerved by the notice
issued by Lokayukta, Odisha dated 15.12.19.,
Sarapanch Rajashree Marandi and her Husband Ajaya Gaon of Badakhaladi
Panchayat, Nalimadhab Patra, Vice-Chairman of Kaptipada Panchayat Samiti along
with 22 Contractors gheraoed, and locked him in his house and abused him with
slang language threatening him to
withdraw the case. He somehow escaped from the clutches of the said gang by tendering a promise not to pursue the
case. On 27.12.19., he however sent by post a petition to Superintendent of Police, Mayurhanj with a copy marked
to the Director General of
Police, Odisha seeking protection
and security for his
family ( Annexture-3). Though
ore than a month has passed on, no
inquiry nor any action has been conducted so far.
6. Sri Simanchal Jena, RTI
Activist of Talasara village under Beguniapada Block
of Ganjam district had filed
a number of complaint cases
in respect of corruption in implementation of development programmes, after
obtaining information under RTI Act. After a notice was issued by Lokayukta, Odisha, the vested
interest groups and contractors have conspired to kill him. On 25.11.19., a miscreant
named Tulu Bhuyan tried to run
a tractor over his body. However he narrowly escaped. On 26.11.19, he was also abused with slang
language by the contractors in the village.
Though he filed an FIR, the police have not conducted any inquiry nor taken
any action against the culprits, and are rather trying to cover up the whole
episode. (Annexture-4).
7. As already mentioned above, Ranjan Kumar Das, a renowned RTI Activist who had
filed two consecutive complaints on 27.1.20 in the Lokayukta, Odisha seeking
inquiry into some some cases of
mega corruption has been
cold-bloodedly murdered by vested interest groups in Kendrapara
district in the night of 31st January 2020. Earlier Ranjan himself had filed an FIR
before Patkura PS alleging mortal threat and casteist slur against him. Due to
complete inaction of the police in respect of the said FIR, Ranjan was
ultimately murdered. Then an FIR was
filed on 1.2.20 before IIC Marshaghai Police Station by his
brother-in-law Balaram Das , but the IIC of the said PS while rgistering the
FIR in the presence of SP Kendrapara did cunningly leave out the crucial fact
that Ranjan Das was an SC person and his case deserved to be treated under both
SCST (PoA) Act and IPC. The SP and IIC of Marshaghai PS have neither conducted any
inquiry, nor nabbed the culprits nor disbursed the compensation/relief
to the parents of Ranjan till date. (
Annexture-5).
8. Besides, many more anti-corruption Activists operating across the
state who have been filling complaint cases of corruption before Lokayukta have
been threatened with dire consequences to their life. The life of all of them
is in danger. Due to series of attacks continuing by the vested interest
groups, many Activists have been frightened in pursuing their cases in Lokayukta. Such a bad state
of affairs staring the anti-corruption activists of the state in face needs to
be instantly and appropriately addressed to by your esteemed authority.
9. Under the circumstances,
we request your
esteemed authority to
issue the following directions to the concerned agencies of the Govt. in order to mete out justice to the RTI Activists whose life,
liberty and activities are in danger-
A. Direction to DG Police, Odisha to
constitute a high level
committee to inquire into
the acts of criminal threats, intimidation and murder of anti-corruption
activists and mete out exemplary action
against the vested interest groups/ miscreants and
corrupt officials in nexus wth them, involved in such dastardly acts;
B. Direct the Director of Inquiry of
Lokayukta to conduct
an independent inquiry into the above acts of violence and murder against
the RTI activists.
C. Direct Secretary, Dept. of Home, Govt. of Odisha to issue
circular to all SPs and Police
Stations to immediately register the
complaint cases filed by RTI
Activists and conduct time-bound inquiry and action against the culprits.
D.
We also urge Lokayukta to
issue direction to DG Police
to provide security
to RTI Activists and anti-corruption whistle-blowers and their family members.
E. The complaint cases
filed by Ranjan Das in
Lokayukta on 27.1.20 should be
properly investigated and action
to be taken accordingly.
E. In the context of the latest murder
of anti-coruption RTI activist Ranjan Kumar Das (an SC person), we urge
Lokayukta to direct the DG Odisha Police and Secy Home Odisha to enquire into
the said case as per SCST (PoA) Act 1989 for the purpose of action against the
culprits and compensation/relief to the parents of deceased Ranjan.
Yours
sincerely
Pradip Pradhan Sanjukta
Panigrahi
Plot No-D-27,
Maitree Vihar Ziauddin
Ahamad
Post-Rail Vihar, Bhubaneswar -751023 Manoj Kumar Panda
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