Ranchi prophet row protests: Top cop gets notice for putting up suspects posters

The notice cited a January 2020 Allahabad high court order saying putting up such posters violates the right to privacy and the Constitution’s Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty)

Updated on: Jun 16, 2022, 09:55:28 IST

By Vishal Kant

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The authorities have issued a show-cause notice to senior police superintendent Surendra Jha for putting up posters of suspects following violence during protests in Ranchi last week over suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s comments about Prophet Muhammad.

Rapid Action Force patrol in Ranchi on Monday. (ANI)

The notice cited a January 2020 Allahabad high court order saying putting up such posters violates the right to privacy and the Constitution’s Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) and asked Jha to reply within two days.

“The home secretary [Arun Kumar Ekka] has said the posters had details and pictures of persons which is not legal. The action violates an order of Allahabad High Court on January 9, 2020, that said putting up posters of suspects in public violates their right to privacy and Article 21 of the Constitution,” the state government said in a statement on Wednesday.

Police put up posters of 33 suspects in public places on the directions of Jharkhand governor Ramesh Bais, seeking information from the public about them on Tuesday before removing them citing technical grounds. They have arrested 29 people in connection with the protests.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishal Kant
Stationed in Ranchi, Vishal is heading the Jharkhand Bureau of Hindustan Times since November 2017. Besides leading the reporting team, Vishal tracks and writes on developments related to the state politics, economy and policy matters in Jharkhand. Prior to his current assignment, Vishal used to work in New Delhi after graduating from the University of Delhi. Vishal joined HT in the rank of Assistant Editor in August 2015 and was part of the Delhi Metro Bureau, covering a host of issues in the City-state including politics, policy---especially those related to urban traffic & transport infrastructure and railways. A native of Palamu district in Jharkhand, Vishal started his two-decade long career in the mainstream media in 2006. During this period, he has has worked in different capacity with a number of national media houses including the Financial Chronicle, India Today, Deccan Herald and The Hindu, before moving to the Hindustan Times. He holds the experience of having worked in three major mediums of mass communication--Print, Electronic and Digital. He is a proud father of two daughters.Read More