SC/ST body issues arrest warrant for Chandrapur collector

NAGPUR: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Tribes has issued an arrest warrant against Chandrapur collector Vinay Gowda for failing to appear before the commission in connection with a case involving tribal land

NAGPUR: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Tribes has issued an arrest warrant against Chandrapur collector Vinay Gowda for failing to appear before the commission in connection with a case involving tribal land. The warrant was issued through a letter to Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Rajnish Sheth to ensure Gowda’s presence before the commission’s court on March 2.

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Vinod Khobragade, a government employee-turned social worker, had filed a complaint with the commission, alleging that the government had allocated 63.62 hectares of land belonging to tribals from Kusambi village in Chandrapur to a cement company. The land, which was allocated for limestone mining over 40 years ago, was done without the tribals’ consent and without paying them any compensation, said the complaint.

According to Khobragade, on September 29, 2022, the commission sent a notice to the then collector Ajay Gulhane, asking him to submit a report in this regard within 15 days. However, Gulhane failed to do so.

The commission again sent a notice to the collector’s office on January 2 this year, asking the incumbent collector Vinay Gowda to submit a report within a fortnight. When Gowda too did not obey the order, the National Commissioner for SC/ST, taking cognisance of the alleged defiance, scheduled a hearing on February 16 and sent summons to Gowda to appear in person. Gowda, however, skipped the hearing and sent a deputy collector (encroachment) in his stead.

Irked by this, the commission, exercising its civil court powers under Clause (8) of Article 338 A, issued orders on February 21 to the director-general of police Rajnish Seth to arrest Gowda and bring him in person before the NCST. The next hearing of the commission is scheduled on March 2.

Explaining his stand in writing, Gowda said that he had agreed to receive the summons to attend the hearing but due to unforeseen circumstances was unable to attend in person and had conveyed this to the commission via a letter dated February 13. In place of the collector, he said, the deputy collector (encroachment) was authorised to attend the hearing, and the commission had been informed accordingly. The deputy collector appeared before the commission, Gowda added.

In a similar case last month, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes of Punjab had ordered the DGP to arrest an IAS officer and ensure that he was present in the commission’s court on January 17.