24 Dec 2009 | India
Ghandy abducted, illegally detained, alleges CRPP
Ghandy's lawyer alleged that the accused does not know the charges on which he was arrested as he has not been given an FIR copy
Sadiq Naqvi Delhi Hardnews
The Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) alleged that Kobad Ghandy was abducted and illegally detained by intelligence officers.
Speaking at a press conference, secretary-general of CRPP, Prof Amit Bhattacharya said, "After the meeting of lawyer, Rajesh Tyagi, with Ghandy on September 24, 2009, the details of his arrest and ill-treatment by the police have come to light." He alleged that Ghandy was arrested on September 17, 2009 from Bhikaji Cama Place around 4 pm. Some people, who identified themselves as Intelligence officials, detained him. He alleged he was kept under illegal detention for four days and interrogated. He was also tortured, it was alleged.
Emphasising on the deteriorating health of Ghandy, Bhattacharya said he was in town for a health check-up at the Sitaram Bhartiya Hospital. He had been diagnosed with a high possibility of prostate cancer. Hardnews learnt that Ghandy had requested the chief metropolitan magistrate to provide him medical aid. He was then reportedly taken to Bara Hindu Rao Hospital for several tests. CRPP alleged that Ghandy is not even being given sorbitol, essential for cardiac patients after he was shifted to Tihar. It termed this as a conspiracy to shorten his life.
Meanwhile, Tyagi attacked the police for not providing a copy of the FIR. He said, "This is a peculiar case in the sense that the FIR has been sealed by the police. Even the accused does not know about the charges on which he has been arrested as he has not been given the copy of the FIR."
The lawyer says this is hampering the judicial process as even a bail plea cannot be filed without a copy of the FIR. When Hardnews contacted, spokesperson of the Delhi Police, he refused to comment.
The CRPP is planning to move the Delhi High Court to press the police for a copy of the FIR.
Earlier, according to the official version, Ghandy was arrested on September 21, 2009 from Bhikaji Cama Place in Delhi. He was termed as a prize catch by the Delhi Police as he is alleged to be a top ranking member of the banned CPI (Maoist). Naxal violence has killed 721 people in 2008 alone.
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Comments
Who’s right?
September 26, 2009 by pragnya (not verified), 12 weeks 5 days ago
I’m unable to understand the justification of the last line of Sadiq Naqvi’s report which provides the number of people killed in the Naxal violence. Does it mean that Kobad Ghandy was behind those violent incidents? Or, does it justify the police action of illegally detaining Ghandy, 58, for four days as mentioned in your report quoting CRPP.
It seems the media and, especially, this report is confused about which side of the fence they stand — on the side of the State and its justification of its actions or on the side of the people’s movement. Just because they carry arms, do these tribals, who are fighting for their basic right to live with dignity, cease to remain ‘people’ when they turn Naxals? Have we forgotten that the ‘red corridor’ has developed through the most backward regions of India? Before one reports on the violence of the Naxalite movement, one should develop the sensibilities and sensitivities towards people’s movements rather that just labeling them and targeting their activists.
Pragnya
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