Activists not abducted or tortured, lawfully questioned in missing woman case: Delhi Police to HC

Delhi Police tells HC activists were questioned, not detained; FIR links case to missing woman and alleged radicalisation.

The Delhi Police on Friday told the Delhi high court that 10 activists alleged to have been detained earlier this month were neither abducted nor tortured, but were only called for lawful questioning in connection with a case involving the alleged wrongful confinement and radicalisation of a missing woman.

Police denies abduction, torture of activists; says questioning tied to probe into missing woman case

In its affidavit, considered by a bench of justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja, the police said that the activists were called on March 12, 13, and 14 to obtain information about the whereabouts of those missing since July last year, based on inputs received by a counter-intelligence team.

According to the affidavit, an FIR was registered on July 8 based on a complaint filed by the missing woman’s father. He expressed apprehension that his daughter was being held against her will at a secret location and alleged that individuals, including Rudra, Ehtamam, Samrat, Gaurav, Gauraang, Lakshita Rajora, and Gurkirat, had forcibly isolated and manipulated her, using her as a pawn for anti-national or terrorist activities.

“That the complainant has specifically named several individuals and organisations believed to be involved in her disappearance or radicalisation, including (i) Rudra Bikram Roy, (ii) Ehtamam ul Haque, (iii) Samrat, (iv) Gaurav, (v) Gauraang, (vi) Lakshita Rajora, and (vii) Gurkirat. These individuals are allegedly associated with Bhagat Singh Chatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM), Forum Against Corporatisation and Militarisation (FACAM), Yuva Sangharsh Morcha (YSM), and Nazariya magazine, which are alleged to be platforms for “anti-national” and “Naxalite” content. That the complainant expressed apprehension that his daughter is being held against her will at a secret location, is being used as a pawn for anti-national or terrorist activities, and has been forcibly isolated and manipulated by the aforesaid group,” the affidavit said.

The affidavit was filed in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by Lakshita’s sister, Sagrika Rajora.

According to the petition, filed through advocate Shahrukh Alam, Sagrika and six others were last known to be present at the office of the student organisation Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM) in Delhi’s Vijay Nagar when they were allegedly detained by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell on the evening of March 13. Three other activists were reportedly picked up on March 12 from outside the gate of Dayal Singh College near the JLN Metro station.

While hearing petitions filed by Sagarika along with pleas by the relatives of four other detained activists, the court on March 15 and 16 directed the police to file an affidavit explaining the circumstances and legal authority under which the activists were detained, though the police had said that they had already been released.

The affidavit said, “Thus, on the basis of reliable inputs developed regarding their secret meeting rooms, the team reached the BSCEM room at Vijay Nagar, Maurice Nagar, Delhi. The individuals, namely (i) Gaurav, (ii) Ehtamamul Haque, (iii) Akshay, (iv) Abhinash Satyapathy, (v) Rudrabikram Roy, (vi) Lakshita Rajora and (vii) Dristy, were found present at the above said address. The individuals namely (i) Gaurav, (ii) Ehtamamul Haque, (iii) Akshay, (iv) Abhinash Satyapathy and (v) Rudrabikram Roy were brought to the office of Special Cell for the purpose of lawful interrogation on March 13 at around 10:15 P.M. With due respect, the females namely (i) Ms. Lakshita Rajora and (ii) Ms. Dristy were left in the room under surveillance. They were questioned but did not cooperate with the investigation in providing the desired information or whereabouts of Ms V, however, were thereafter released with directions to join the investigation again on March 14 after being served with notices in the said FIR. The above individuals and others (as mentioned in other writ petitions) were only called for lawful questioning on March 12, 13 and 14 and were allowed to leave after questioning on each day with specific directions to appear as directed in the notice. No illegal detention, abduction or coercion or torture as alleged has ever taken place.”

The affidavit added that during the investigation in the said FIR, several locations, including small rented premises, were allegedly being used to hold clandestine meetings and to propagate Maoist ideology, and multiple names surfaced, including those of these 10 activists, who were alleged to be supporting Maoist ideologies.

It further said that four to five members of Bhagat Singh Ekta Manch (BSCEM) had also participated in an anti-air pollution protest at India Gate, during which they allegedly attacked police officials using pepper spray and raised slogans in support of a Naxalite who was neutralised in police action.

On Friday, the court also directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to file an affidavit regarding the status of the CCTV cameras installed near Dayal Singh College and the BSCEM office in Vijay Nagar. “What’s the purpose of installing the CCTV camera if they are not working? Do we have some kind of a toy? That’s not done…. These are not toys that they have installed at various places. We’re seeing it in case after case... even in the case of habeas corpus cases. Let the secretary, PWD, file an affidavit on the status of CCTV camera,” the bench remarked.

The direction came after one of the counsel referred to the Delhi Police’s status report, in compliance with the high court’s March 15 order, which had directed the authorities to preserve CCTV footage of the areas near Dayal Singh College (March 12) and the BSCEM office in Vijay Nagar.

The police informed the court that footage for the relevant period was unavailable. According to the affidavit, the CCTV footage near Dayal Singh College could not be retrieved as the camera installed at the back gate of the college was not functioning. Similarly, the footage from Vijay Nagar was unavailable due to a technical glitch in the camera.

The matter will next be heard on April 23.