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CJM targeted for ‘harming’ Chhattisgarh police morale
Chhattisgarh police in Sukma district of Bastar zone “abhorred” a judicial officer whose decisions, they claimed, were detrimental to the morale of security forces fighting a virtual war against the outlawed CPI (Maoist).
Chhattisgarh police in Sukma district of Bastar zone “abhorred” a judicial officer whose decisions, they claimed, were detrimental to the morale of security forces fighting a virtual war against the outlawed CPI (Maoist).
The sacked chief judicial magistrate (CJM) inadvertently found himself on a list of people, including human rights activists, journalists and lawyers, cited as “nuisance” by the Chhattisgarh police in Bastar.
Information under the RTI Act accessed by HT revealed that the Sukma superintendent of police, D Shrawan, wrote to the Dantewada district and sessions judge complaining against CJM Prabhakar Gwal.
In his letter dated February 8, the police superintendent mentioned six incidents related to Maoists in which the CJM’s “verdicts harmed the enthusiasm and spirit of the forces” and the criminals got an opportunity to make a “mockery” of the judicial process.
Gwal was dismissed on April 1 on the grounds that he “compromised public interest”.
The Sukma SP avoided making any direct comment to HT. “I am not exactly aware. Can’t say without revisiting the content and knowing the context,” he said.
Gwal said that while posted as the Sukma CJM, he twice wrote to the state director general of police and others in December last year, expressing apprehension that “fraudulent practices” were being carried out in the name of the anti-Maoist campaign.
Amnesty International India, the global rights watchdog, on Monday called for immediate action in the wake of human rights activists, journalists and lawyers in Bastar facing relentless crackdown by the police and vigilante group Samajik Ekta Manch, which was disbanded.
