E-Paper
Saharanpur violence: HC dismisses Bhim Army founder’s plea
The Allahabad high court has dismissed a petition filed by Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar alias Ravan, challenging order of the district magistrate, Saharanpur, by which the National Security Act was invoked against him for his alleged role in Saharanpur violence in May last year.
The Allahabad high court has dismissed a petition filed by Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar alias Ravan, challenging order of the district magistrate, Saharanpur, by which the National Security Act (NSA) was invoked against him for his alleged role in Saharanpur violence in May last year.
On April 26, a bench comprising justice Ramesh Sinha and justice DK Singh reserved their verdict after hearing the arguments of both the parties. The judgment was made public on Thursday.
Since the court did not find any illegality in the detention order of November 2, 2017 passed by the DM Saharanpur, it declined to quash it and did not award any compensation to Chandrashekhar as requested.
The bench, while dismissing the petition, observed, “The action taken by the concerned authorities is absolutely in accordance with the provisions of the National Security Act.”
One Sumit had died and many others, including policemen, had suffered injuries in the violence. The allegation against Chandrashekhar was that he incited violence.
A group of people was going to take part in Maharana Pratap Jayanti in Saharanpur’s Shabbirpur village on May 5 last year when some Dalit community members opposed it. As a result, a violent clash took place resulting in death of one person. Four days later on May 9, a mahapanchayat under the aegis of Bhim Army Bharat Ekta Mission was called at Saharanpur in protest against the May 5 incident. When the district administration declined permission for holding the mahapanchayat, the members of Bhim Army allegedly blocked the Ram Nagar road at Saharanpur.
When the police intervened, the Bhim Army members allegedly started throwing stones. It is also alleged that they indulged in violence and put Ram Nagar police Chowki on fire. An FIR in this connection was lodged by the district administration against the members of Bhim Army. Chandrashekhar was arrested on June 8, 2017 by the special task force of UP police from Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh.
A day after the high court ordered Chandrashekhar’s release on bail after observing that the charges against him were politically motivated, the DM Saharanpur passed an order detaining Chandrashekhar alias Ravan under the NSA on November 2, 2017.
