The People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) has condemned the action of the Chhattisgarh police in registering an FIR against Prof. Nandini Sundar of Delhi University, Prof. Archana Prasad of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Vineet Tiwari of the Joshi-Adhikar Institute and others in connection with the murder of a villager Samnath Baghel in Sukma district on November 4, 2016.
In a statement, PUCL national general secretary V Suresh said while the death of Baghel was deeply regrettable and deserved to be diligently investigated, the FIR itself indicated that there was absolutely no connection between his murder and human rights defenders booked in the case.
“The PUCL strongly denounces the Chhattisgarh police for concocting a frivolous and mala fide FIR, and demands that charges against them be dropped.”
Pointing to reports that the Inspector-General of Police (Bastar Range) SRP Kalluri had sent special teams to Delhi to arrest the academics, Dr. Suresh referred to Supreme Court guidelines that arrest was not required in all cases and summons were sufficient requirement of law to ensure investigation. Such brazen threats and intimidation were meant to silence others from daring to challenge police lawlessness, he alleged.
The allegation about the involvement of Prof. Sundar and other academics on the face of it appeared artificial, contrived and manufactured to somehow rope them in and rights defenders using the charge of conspiracy. The hostile actions of the Chhattisgarh police against these academics and activists, especially pushed forward by Mr. Kalluri, had to be seen against a long history of persecution of anyone who attempted to highlight the state of police lawlessness that prevailed in the Adivasi region.
Dr. Suresh sought the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission on the issue and urged the police to stop any coercive action and desist from arresting the academics and others. Investigation into the case should be handed over to an independent agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation. He also demanded disciplinary and criminal action against police officials who were involved in contriving the FIR.
Says allegation about their involvement in the death of villager in Sukma district appeared artificial
