Image Courtesy: thewire.in
Few hours after booking 3,000 people on sedition charges, Dhandbad police had to revoke them after instructions from DGP K.N. Choubey. The news broke on Wednesday that Dhanbad in Jharkhand has registered a case of sedition and other related crimes against 3,000 unidentified persons and 7 identified persons for taking part in anti-CAA protests without permission and for raising inflammatory slogans. Few hours after this was reported came another news that DGP K.N. Choubey had instructed Dhanbad police to drop sedition charges against all, including the 7 identified accused.
The Jharkhand Chief Minister posted the letters sent by the Superintendent of Police to Dhanbad Police station. The letters instructed that section 124A (sedition) of IPC be removed from the FIR. It further stated that the inclusion on section 124A (sedition) in the FIR against the anti-CAA protestors was uncalled for and not justified. It also said that inclusion of the section was done without contemplation and that the police officer in doing so has demonstrated his negligence and arbitrariness. The SP also asked for a written explanation from the police officer in this regard within 3 days failing which he would have to face disciplinary action.
The Chief Minster, Hemant Soren’s tweet read as follows:
https://twitter.com/HemantSorenJMM/status/1214947760408944640
क़ानून जनता को डराने एवं उनकी आवाज़ दबाने के लिए नहीं बल्कि आम जन-मानस में सुरक्षा का भाव उत्पन्न करने को होता है।
मेरे नेतृत्व में चल रही सरकार में क़ानून जनता की आवाज़ को बुलंद करने का कार्य करेगी।
धनबाद में 3000 लोगों पर लगाए गए राजद्रोह की धारा को अविलंब निरस्त करने के 1/2 pic.twitter.com/Y0PMT84Vra
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) January 8, 2020
https://twitter.com/HemantSorenJMM/status/1214947763575652353
साथ साथ दोषी अधिकारी के ख़िलाफ़ समुचित करवाई की अनुशंसा कर दी गयी है।
साथ ही मैं झारखंड के सभी भाइयों/बहनों से अपील करना चाहूँगा की राज्य आपका है, यहाँ के क़ानून व्यस्था का सम्मान करना हमारा कर्तव्य है। 2/2
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) January 8, 2020
Translation: The law is not meant to instil fear or stifle the voices of the people instead it is to create an environment of security. The government under my leadership will strengthen the voice of the people. Not only has the charge of sedition against 3,000 people in Dhanbad has been cancelled but action is being taken against the police officer who included the charge in the FIR. I also appeal to people of Jharkhand that the state is yours and it is your responsibility to respect the laws here.
The FIR was filed on a complaint made by Dhanbad Circle Officer Prashant Kumar Laiq for allegedly blocking traffic jams and shouting slogans hurting religious sentiments, without permission. After going through the various videos and pictures of the protest march, the police were able to identify Haji Arif Zameer, Mohd. Sajid, Mohd. Saif Sajjad, Ali Akbar, Mohd. Naushad, Mohd. Saddam and Mohd. Maulana Ghulam Nabi.
Md Noushad said they had sought permission from the district administration many times and had got “some verbal assurance”. He said the march was peaceful and no inflammatory slogans were raised.
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