“They are not allowing universities to open because then student activists will once again question the  atrocities and will also raise issues again…,” said  student leader  Rajveer Kaur. She has also lodged a formal complaint at the Maurice Nagar Police Station on March 9, a day after a public meeting at Delhi University, organised by Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch was interrupted, allegedly by members of the right wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) the student organisation affiliated to the Rashtriya  Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Kaur has alleged that the event on March 8, to mark Women’s Day, was disrupted by the ABVP, and has named Shivangi Kharwal (DUSU Joint-secretary) who Kaur accused of tearing posters that were put up at the venue. According to Kaur, ABVP members allegedly verbally abused the students gathered there, calling them “anti-nationals and terrorists”.  She has detailed in her police complaint that some of the students who were caught in the scuffle, were allegedly injured by ABVP members and that guest speaker, Nodeep Kaur (Labour Rights Activist, and Rajveer’s sister) was “also pulled by the police.” According to Rajveer’s allegations, Shivangi Kharwal hit her face and broke her spectacles. Other students were also injured, she says, as was advocate Vasu Kukreja. Most students who were hurt have said they were pushed around, scratches, dragged and their clothes were torn. 

As the event was being live streamed, this sudden violence too got beamed, and recorded. The many photographs tell their own story, stated a student who was there. Rajveer Kaur has asked the police to register a complaint under the valid legal provisions and has urged the police to take strict action against the culprits. However even ABVP had put out a statement claiming that the clash was started by the organisers. “DUSU was organising a self-defence clinic today. And these people, majority of which were outsiders, were holding a meet outside the Conference Centre of Arts Faculty,” stated ABVP State Secretary Siddharth Yadav.

Related:

Student group meeting disrupted at Delhi University, allegedly by right wing union

Three Girls, submissive no more: Contemporary artists adapt Amrita Sher-Gil’s painting

A 17-year-old Dalit girl was found hanging in Delhi, why is no one asking questions about it?

Delhi Police allegedly detain 25 women and a toddler

The post Student activists complain to Delhi Police about alleged attack by ABVP appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A public meeting at Delhi University, organised  by  Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch was interrupted, allegedly by members of the right wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) the student organisation affiliated to the Rashtriya  Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party. The disturbance was sudden, after the  families of rape victims of Butana (haryana) and of Gurmandi (Delhi) were recounted the horrific crimes, and studnets activist Rajveer Kaur of the bsCEM was speaking about the state crackdown on women activists such as Sudha Bharadwaj and others. The event at  Arts Faculty, University Of Delhi was being live streamed when the camera panned right to a possible disturbance, Kaur was heard asking people not to disrupt the programme, when suddenly two women ran towards her, and another man was heard shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai off camera. Delhi police personnel, including women constables, also ran towards the disruption. Though someone was heard saying “why are you hitting them”, it was not clear if any physical violence had ensued.

What followed was mayhem, still being live streamed, as more police personnel arrived on the scene, urging the Delhi University students to end their Women’s Day programme. Ironically the programme was titled “Let the Women Speak,” and now the speakers were being asked to shut the show down and leave the premises. The ruckus continued for a long time and the Delhi Police were seen wheeling in metal  barricades to cordon off the area. 

On this 113th International Working Women’s day, the event, according to the organisers, was to “bring the women voices together that rose against repression, atrocities”. The title ‘Let the Women Speak’ they stated was to give a platform to those who were struggling to seek justice from what they termed was a “Fascist Regime.” There was a small poster exhibition, at the site, and a quiet group of students and a couple of teachers and others who had gathered to listen to, Labour Rights Activist, Nodeep Kaur speak. Other speakers were the Gurhmandi rape victim’s aunt Kusum, who is still seeking justice for the victim, and the Kavita mother of the Butana girl who has alleged she was raped in police custody and others.  Shaheen Bagh Protest icon Bilkis Bano was also named in the list of speakers issued earlier. 

However, the disruption took the evening in another direction completely. According to the organisers, local police may have detained student activists  Ravinder, Varkey and Anil. Activists Rajveer Kaur, Sangeeta, Monica alleged that they were attacked and were seen in another video waiting outside the police station. The live stream may be viewed here:

https://www.facebook.com/bscem.du/videos/441775567073757

Related

Three Girls, submissive no more: Contemporary artists adapt Amrita Sher-Gil’s painting
A 17-year-old Dalit girl was found hanging in Delhi, why is no one asking questions about it?
Delhi Police allegedly detain 25 women and a toddler

The post Student group meeting disrupted at Delhi University, allegedly by right wing union appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The National human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a report from Haryana Police to respond to complaints that Dalit activist Nodeep Kaur was harassed and tortured in custody. Nodeep was arrested on January 12 and was granted bail on February 26. In her bail plea before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the 24-year-old Dalit activist claimed that she was “severely beaten up at a police station after her arrest by the Sonipat police last month.” Kaur was also taken to the police station allegedly in the absence of any woman police official and was beaten up by police officials.

In a notice issued on February 18, the NHRC has given Sonipat SP four weeks to respond and file a report. According to the complaint, “The victim who is a social activist was illegally arrested in a false complaint, was harassed, sexually assaulted in the police custody, and was subjected to police torture,” reported The Hindu.

SabrangIndia had covered, in a detailed manner, the developments that finally led to Nodeep’s release by the High Court, while its sister organisation, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) initiated a public petition highlighting how the young activist was allegedly assaulted in Karnal jail and demanding her immediate release.

Now, a group of human rights’ organisations have appealed to the NHRC to intervene in the case of Shiv Kumar, a labour rights activist and co-accused in the case with Nodeep and his family has been allegedly beaten and tortured. Three organisations, Human Rights Defenders Alert, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and National Dalit Movement for Justice wrote to NHRC over Shiv Kumar’s “abduction, illegal detention, arbitrary arrest and custodial torture”.

It is alleged in the complaint that on January 16, Shiv Kumar was abducted by the staff of Crime Investigation Agency (CIA), Sonipat, from Singhu, where he was participating in the ongoing farmers’ protest. Further it is also alleged that while Shiv Kumar was arrested on January 16, his arrest was shown on January 23, a day before he was produced before a Magistrate. The complaint also cites a medical report submitted to the High Court which states that injuries on Shiv Kumar were more than two weeks old and were caused by a blunt object/weapon.

Related:

Will return to sit with farmers at Singhu protest site: Nodeep Kaur

Punjab and Haryana HC grants bail to Nodeep Kaur

Jailed labour rights activist Shiv kumar has multiple injuries: Medical report

The post Nodeep Kaur case: NHRC seeks report from Haryana Police over alleged custodial torture appeared first on SabrangIndia.

24-year-old labour rights activist Nodeep Kaur was released on bail on Friday, said she will back at the farmers protest at the Singhu border, from where she was arrested in January. She told NDTV soon after her release that she will return to sit in solidarity with the protesting farmers who have been seeking a repeal of agricultural laws for three months now. “I will discuss with my family what to do next. I will definitely go to Singhu, sit with farmers. I have not done anything illegal in the past and will not do anything illegal in the future and will always stand for the people,” she told NDTV.

Kaur, had also spoken about Shiv Kumar, the Dalit activist who was arrested soon after she was, “Shiv Kumar’s condition is very bad. He wasn’t even there on the 12th (January). Yet he was arrested and thrashed brutally. He has not been shifted to a hospital despite orders.” 

Shiv Kumar, the 24-year-old president of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan (MAS), who was arrested on January 16, has multiple injuries, including at least two fractures, a court ordered medical examination has revealed. He was arrested just four days after co-accused, fellow activist Nodeep Kaur was picked up from the Singhu Border farmers protest site. According to a report in the Indian Express, the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Chandigarh, has submitted its findings to the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday. The GMCH has put on record that Shiv Kumar’s medical examination “showed multiple injuries, including at least two fractures on his left hand and right foot, caused by blunt object / weapon”. The injuries are noted to be “more than two weeks old”, in the report. 

Nodeep Kaur’s case got international attention on February 6 when Meena Harris, niece of US Vice-President Kamala Harris, tweeted, “23-year-old labour rights activist Nodeep Kaur was arrested, tortured and sexually assaulted in police custody.”

Kaur spent her birthday in jail, not allowed to meet family. She was granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in relation to the third FIR registered against her in January this year. Taking up complaints about her alleged illegal detention on its own, the Punjab and Haryana High Court also issued notice to the Haryana government.

The Single-judge Bench of Justice Avneesh Jhingan granted her bail while hearing her application clubbed with the suo motu case registered in connection with her alleged illegal confinement. The High Court will continue to hear the matter about her illegal detention and alleged custodial torture.

Her bail plea was to be taken up by the court on February 24 but the Single-judge Bench had observed that the State failed to disclose her medical reports. The court recorded in the order: “In this case, vide order dated 18.1.2021, Duty Magistrate/ Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Sonipat ordered that Nodeep Kaur be medically examined. She was medically examined but the said report has not been placed on record by the State, rather only a medico-legal report under Section 54 Cr.PC. is placed on record.” The court had adjourned the matter to February 26 where it granted bail to Kaur on the charges under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 146 (rioting), and 353 (assault to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code.

Bar & Bench reported that upon a prima facie observation, there was nothing to substantiate the allegations of attempt to murder levelled against Kaur, among other reasons, that compelled the court to grant her bail. According to a report in LiveLaw, Senior Advocate RS Cheema argued that she is not a flight risk and that ‘Bail is Rule, Jail is Exception’.

On February 15, Kaur was granted bail in connection with other charges of extortion, obstructing a public servant on work, use of force under the relevant Indian Penal Code sections by a Sessions Court but she continued to remain in jail for other serious offences of attempt to murder and rioting. In her bail plea before the High Court, the 24-year-old Dalit activist claimed that she was “severely beaten up at a police station after her arrest by the Sonipat police last month.” Kaur was also taken to the police station allegedly in the absence of any woman police official and was beaten up by police officials.

On February 12, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had taken suo motu cognisance on the basis of emails received by him related to her alleged ‘illegal confinement’ and issued a notice to the State of Haryana over the matter.

On February 5, CJP had started an online petition to highlight the arbitrary arrest and assault of the young activist in Karnal jail. The petition demanded her immediate release and dropping of all trumped up charges against her. The CJP had also urged those who signed the petition, to write to the Karnal jail the petition may be viewed here.

Related:

Punjab and Haryana HC grants bail to Nodeep Kaur

Jailed labour rights activist Shiv kumar has multiple injuries: Medical report

The post Will return to sit with farmers at Singhu protest site: Nodeep Kaur appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Dalit activist Nodeep Kaur, who fights for the rights of labourers and was actively supporting the ongoing farmers agitation, has in her bail plea before the Punjab and Haryana High Court claimed that she was “severely beaten up at a police station after her arrest by the Sonipat police last month.” According to a report in the Telegraph, Kaur, has also claimed on record that her “medical examination was not conducted in violation of section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code.” 

She remains lodged in Haryana’s Karnal jail. The Punjab and Haryana High Court adjourned her bail hearing and posted the matter for February 26. The bail plea was filed through her counsels Arshdeep Singh Cheema and Harinder Deep Singh Bains, where Kaur has stated that she was “falsely arraigned as accused in an FIR lodged under various sections, including 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC” adding that she was “targeted and falsely implicated” in the case as she was successful in generating massive support for the ongoing farmer movement against the Centre’s three new farm laws.

On Monday February 15, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court took suo motu cognisance of the alleged ‘illegal confinement’ of the 24-year-old labour activist Nodeep Kaur. Kaur, who has been lodged in Karnal Jail since her arrest on January 12, 2021, by the Haryana Police, was granted bail by a sessions court in Sonepat that day. However, the 24-year-old Dalit labour rights activist of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan (MAS) remains behind bars for now. This bail was granted in connection with a case registered against her in January. This is the second of three cases in which she has been granted bail.

The bail plea (that was taken up on February 24 for hearing but got adjourned to February 26) states that on January 12, the petitioner and MAS members marched towards a factory demanding payment of pending wages of some workers. 

The Telegraph reported that the HC was informed that “they were manhandled by a group formed by the Kundli Industrial Area, an association of industrial owners. In the meantime, a team from Kundli police station led by the station house officer reached there and immediately on their arrival, they grabbed the petitioner by her hair and dragged to the side, according to the plea. This angered the protesters and the situation became worse when the police resorted to lathi charge on peaceful protesters. A scuffle ensued and the petitioner tried to pacify the situation but to no avail… The petitioner alone was caught and arrested by police officials. She was beaten, tortured and suffered multiple injuries.”

Kaur was then taken to the police station allegedly in the absence of any woman police official and was beaten up by police officials, she was arrested in Haryana’s Sonipat on January 12. According to the Telegraph, the Sonepat police officials have alleged that “a police team was attacked with sticks when they reached the site and some policemen sustained injuries in the incident.”

Jail authorities have not allowed Nodeep’s family to meet her. “I have only met her once, the day she was sent to jail. I was not allowed to meet her,” her sister Rajveer Kaur told SabrangIndia. The jail authorities had told her that as Covid protocols were in place family meetings were not allowed anymore. “I managed to speak to her whenever she was allowed a short phone call, every 4-5 days, today (Friday February 12,),” said Rajveer. 

Important aspects of Nodeep’s arrest may be read here. 

CJP has moved an online petition to highlight how the young activist was allegedly assaulted in Karnal jail. The petition demands her immediate release and dropping of all trumped up charges against her. Further, CJP also urged those who sign the petition, to write to the Karnal jail authorities and protest the atrocities against the Dalit, trade union activist. The petition has since been shared by actor Sushant Singh and child rights activist Harish Iyer. Those who want to sign the petition may click here.

Nodeep’s sister Rajveer, who is fighting to get justice along with a team of lawyers, had raised the pertinent question in an exclusive interview to SabrangIndia in January: Why was Dalit labour rights activist, Nodeep Kaur, arrested from Singhu Border? It is yet to be answered by the Haryana government and Haryana Police.

Related:

Nodeep Kaur gets bail in second case, but remains in jail for now

Nodeep Kaur’s ‘illegal confinement’: Punjab and Haryana HC take suo motu cognisance

Karnal Jail cites Covid-protocol, prevents Nodeep from meeting family 

Why was Dalit labour rights activist, Nodeep Kaur, arrested from Singhu Border?

The post Falsely implicated, as I was successful in generating support for farmers: Nodeep Kaur appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Last week Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court took suo motu cognisance of the alleged ‘illegal confinement’ of the 24-year-old labour activist Nodeep Kaur. Now Kaur, who has been lodged in Karnal Jail since her arrest on January 12, 2021, by the Haryana Police, has been granted bail by a sessions court in Sonepat on Monday February 15.

However, the  24-year-old Dalit labour rights activist of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, will still remain behind bars for now. This bail has been granted in connection with a case registered against her in January. This is the second of three cases in which she has been granted bail. 

According to a news report in the Indian Express, Kaur’s advocate Jatinder Kumar said bail had been granted “subject to furnishing of bail bonds of Rs 50,000”, a similar amount had been demanded by a Sessions Court which had granted bail to Kaur in a case registered against her in December. Kaur is yet to be granted bail in the third case, which was also registered in January. Bail in this case had been rejected on February 2, by Sessions Court, Sonipat, Haryana as it held that the charges against her were serious. She has been charged under sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 332 (causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault on public servant), 186 (Obstructing public servant), 384 (extortion), 379-B (snatching and use of force), and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

Nodeep Kaur’s lawyers are expected to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court soon seeking bail for the Dalit labour rights activist who has now been in jail for a month. A lawyer was finally allowed to meet her last week, even as jail authorities have now allowed her sister or mother to meet her. Her sister Rajveer Kaur told SabrangIndia she will keep trying. The jail authorities had told her that as Covid protocols were in place family meetings were not allowed anymore. “I managed to speak to her whenever she was allowed a short phone call, every 4-5 days,” said Rajveer. 

Lawyer, Harinder Singh Bains, who is among the scores who have volunteered legal help to the activists arrested from Singhu border, said he managed to meet Nodeep, a few days ago for around 20 minutes, “Nodeep said she had confidence in the judicial system, and answered my questions related to the case and signed the vakalatnama,” Bains told SabrangIndia, adding that the jail authorities have been citing Covid protocols as issued by the government a reason to keep jail inmates from meeting their lawyers and families. “Shiv Kumar (a co accused with Nodeep Kaur) is now kept in Covid quarantine under judicial custody and has not been allowed to meet even a lawyer,” added a lawyer who is trying to still get a vakalatnama signed. “The vakalatnama can be signed even without meeting the inmate, so it is not clear why they have not been done yet. Jail authorities it seems are using the Covid-19 procol at their own convenience,” he added.

According to lawyer Bains, it was surprising when they were recently informed that there was a third FIR against Nodeep filed on December 28, 2020 at Kundli. “She did not know of this older FIR, till her arrest on January 12, and informed me when we recently met in jail,” said the lawyer. Now she has three FIRs filed against her, Fir No. 25, 26, (filed in January 2021) and FIR number 649 (filed in December 2020). 

According to the IE’s latest report, Kaur’s lawyers have said that “Bail bonds have not been furnished yet as there is still one FIR whose bail application is pending before the High Court, so even if we furnish the bail bond in this, she cannot be released until bail is granted in the remaining case as well. That is why we have kept the bail pending and as soon as we get orders from the High Court in that case, we will furnish the bail bonds together.”

Meanwhile, the National Herald reported that Karnal Jail refused to grant permission to the Punjab State Women’s Commission Chairperson Manisha Gulati, who wanted to meet Nodeep Kaur in the Karnal Jail. According to the report, the jail Superintendent denied the permission on Monday. “This morning the jail Superintendent of Karnal called up the office of Punjab State Women’s Commission and said Gulati would have to get the approval of the Haryana government to meet Nodeep Kaur,” a commission spokesperson told the media.

Related:

Nodeep Kaur’s ‘illegal confinement’: Punjab and Haryana HC take suo motu cognisance

Karnal Jail cites Covid-protocol, prevents Nodeep from meeting family 

Justice for Nodeep Kaur: Trade union activist turns 24 years behind bars

Release Nodeep Kaur

The post Nodeep Kaur gets bail in second case, but remains in jail for now appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court took suo motu cognisance of the alleged ‘illegal confinement’ of the 24-year-old labour activist Nodeep Kaur on February 12.

The order read: “Complaints dated 06.02.2021 (February 6) and 08.02.2021 (February 8) have been received through e-mail regarding illegal confinement of Nodeep Kaur, Dalit Labour Activist by the Haryana Police and under the orders of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh have been treated as Criminal Writ Petition and ordered to be listed on judicial side”.

Issuing “notice of motion to the State of Haryana”, the Single-judge Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court listed the matter for hearing on February 24, 2021. The State of Haryana is expected to file a reply/status report till then.

On January 12, 2021, the Haryana Police reached her tent and arrested Nodeep Kaur at Singhu Border, where she was agitating with other farmers against the laws. On February 2, Kaur who has been lodged in Karnal Jail, was denied bail by Sessions Court, Sonipat, Haryana as it held that the charges against her were serious. Her family has also claimed that she is being tortured and sexually assaulted in custody.

She has been charged under sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 332 (causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault on public servant), 186 (Obstructing public servant), 384 (extortion), 379-B (snatching and use of force), and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

SabrangIndia has been closely monitoring the matter. Previously, Nodeep’s sister Rajveer had told us, “She was beaten by male police officers, she was hit on the back, on her private parts. She was arrested on January 12, and we reached the police station [late that night] but were told she had been sent to Karnal. There, the next day, I found out that she had been tortured, they did not even give her the medicines we had handed over. The SHO wanted to show her as a gang leader, she is just 23 years old, has completed her class 12 and was planning to apply to the Delhi university as an undergraduate. She is being framed and we will fight that.”

Nodeep recently turned 24, spending her birthday behind bars.

CJP had also started an online petition on February 5 addressed to the Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, seeking her immediate release and dropping of all charges. Nodeep Kaur had been sitting on a peaceful protest at Singhu with a group of factory workers from Kundli Industrial Area, in solidarity with the dissenting farmers. The workers have also been facing similar problems like the farmers, and have alleged they have been exploited by employers, their wages withheld, and jobs taken away. This has increased since they began to support the farmers movement.

The detention and the alleged torture of Kaur sparked social media debate and uproar and gained attention after Meena Harris, the niece of United States Vice President Kamala Harris, tweeted about her release.

Weird to see a photo of yourself burned by an extremist mob but imagine what they would do if we lived in India. I’ll tell you—23 yo labor rights activist Nodeep Kaur was arrested, tortured & sexually assaulted in police custody. She’s been detained without bail for over 20 days. pic.twitter.com/Ypt2h1hWJz

— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) February 5, 2021

Significantly, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi also directed the matter to be shown on the “urgent list”.

The order may be read here:

Related:

Why was Dalit labour rights activist, Nodeep Kaur, arrested from Singhu Border?
Release Dalit Trade Union activist Nodeep Kaur: CJP
Why was Dalit activist Nodeep Kaur denied bail?

The post Nodeep Kaur’s ‘illegal confinement’: Punjab and Haryana HC take suo motu cognisance appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Nodeep Kaur’s lawyers are expected to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court today seeking bail for the Dalit labour rights activist who has now been in jail for a month. A lawyer was finally allowed to meet her four days ago, even as jail authorities have now allowed her sister to meet her. “I have only met her once, the day she was sent to jail. I was not allowed to meet her yesterday, I shall try again today,” her sister Rajveer Kaur told SabrangIndia on her way to Karnal jail. The jail authorities had earlier told her that as Covid protocols were in place family meetings were not allowed anymore. “I managed to speak to her whenever she was allowed a short phone call, every 4-5 days, today (friday February 12,) is a meeting day so I am going to try again,” said Rajveer. 

Lawyer  Harinder Singh Bains, who is among the scores who have volunteered legal help to the activists arrested from Singhu border, said he managed to meet Nodeep, a few days ago for around 20 minutes, “Nodeep said she had confidence in the judicial system, and answered my questions related to the case and signed the vakalatnama,” Bains told SabrangIndia, adding that the jail authorities have been citing Covid protocols as issued by the government a reason to keep jail inmates from meeting their lawyers and families. “Shiv Kumar (a co accused with Nodeep Kaur) is now kept in Covid quarantine under judicial custody and has not been allowed to meet even a lawyer,” added a lawyer who is trying to still get a vakalatnama signed. “The vakalatnama can be signed even without meeting the inmate, so it is not clear why they have not been done yet. Jail authorities it seems are using the Covid-19 procol at their own convenience,” he added.

According to Nodeep’s lawyer Bains, it was surprising when they were recently informed that there was a third FIR against Nodeep filed on December 28, 2020 at Kundli. “She did not know of this older FIR, till her arrest on January 12, and informed me when we recently met in jail,” said the lawyer. Now she has three FIRs filed against her, Fir No. 25, 26, (filed in January 2021) and FIR number 649 (filed in December 2020). 

Nodeep’s bail plea has been rejected in FIR 25 and 26, by Sessions Court, Sonepat, Haryana on February 2 and she continues to be lodged in Karnal jail while her family claims that she is being tortured, sexually assaulted in custody. She has been charged under sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 332 (causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault on public servant), 186 (Obstructing public servant), 384 (extortion), 379-B (snatching and use of force), and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC. According to a lawyer, the “bruises and wounds” she may have suffered when allegedly assaulted in jail will have “healed and vanished by the time her family is allowed to meet her, whenever the covid rules allow.” 

However, her legal team has said they will approach the Punjab and Haryana High court on Friday, February 12, appealing for bail to be granted. Nodeep has already been granted bail in most sections mentioned in Fir Number 649. “We got the bail order yesterday from Sonipat court,” said her lawyer, “we will apply for bail today in the sections mentioned in FIR number 25, and are hopeful it will be heard soon.”  

“We have finally got the copy of the three FIRs against Nodeep,” added her sister Rajveer, who had recently approached the group of lawyers volunteering legal help for farmers, and labour rights activists who have been named in FIRs, arrested, or are being questioned, in various matters. Another bail application filed by Nodeep’s lawyer is likely to be taken up by Sonipat district court on Saturday, February 13, said a lawyer. “The FIRs number 25, and 26 are related to the same incident, but splitting them into multiple sections in two separate complaints adds complications and slows down the process, as separate bail applications have to be filed,” said a lawyer. 

Activist Shiv Kumar’s case is similar. He is a labour rights activist, who was arrested around the same time as Nodeep Kaur was also named under the same FIRs. His family has alleged that they were not notified of this arrest, and they too have not met him yet. According to the Telegraph, the Sonepat police had arrested Kisan Adhikar Sangathan activist Shiv Kumar, on January 16. However, stated the report, neither his lawyers nor is next of kin were informed that he had been arrested. Kumar’s family has alleged that they have also not been given a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) filed in the case.

The Telegraph detailed that Shiv Kumar, who hails from Devru village of Sonepat, was picked up by the police for allegedly trying to “break into a factory in Kundli for illegal extortion under the garb of unpaid salaries of workers”. The lawyers and family claim that both Shiv and Nodeep were picked up due to their active association with the farmers’ protest. According to sources, Shiv Kumar too may have been beaten up, and was sent to police remand, and once that ended is now in judicial custody. His family and lawyers too have been told that he is under ‘quarantine’ as per the government’s Covid-19 rules. 

The Telegraph report quoted Vasu Kukreja, who is a part of the legal cell constituted by the farmer unions, “Shiv too has been arrested by the Haryana Police with Nodeep but he has not been allowed to see either his advocates or family. A close relative has alleged that he was being tortured in police custody. He is currently lodged in Sonepat jail. We are trying to reach out to him and get a ‘vakalatnama’ signed so that we can proceed.” 

Sahil, Shiv’s cousin, said Shiv was detained illegally and was sent on remand without the knowledge of the family, stated the news report, “As per information, he was picked up on January 16 and has been kept in custody since then. The family got to know about his arrest only on January 30.” However, Sonepat SP JS Randhawa refuted the allegations saying Shiv Kumar was picked up for violence at the Kundli factory, “It has been clearly stated (in the FIR) that there were around 40 to 50 so-called activists, who I will like to call as anti-social elements. They were harassing the local industrial unit’s management,” Randhawa told The Tribune, adding, “the local police were called, who were then attacked, and Shiv was arrested in the same case. We have the CCTV footage of the incident as well.”

Related:

Mechanism for faster disposal of parole pleas needed: P&H High Court

Justice for Nodeep Kaur: Trade union activist turns 24 years behind bars 

Release Nodeep Kaur

Why was Dalit activist Nodeep Kaur denied bail?

Release Dalit Trade Union activist Nodeep Kaur: CJP

Why was Dalit labour rights activist, Nodeep Kaur, arrested from Singhu Border?

The post Karnal Jail cites Covid-protocol, prevents Nodeep from meeting family  appeared first on SabrangIndia.

February 11, 2021 marks the completion of a month-long imprisonment for Majdoor Adhikar Sangthan member Nodeep Kaur at Karnal jail in Haryana. Well aware of this fact, her sister Rajveer Kaur and family visited the 24-year-old trade Union activist on Thursday on her birthday.

Nodeep’s case, closely followed by SabrangIndia from its very beginning, has made headlines in recent days. According to her sister, the Dalit woman was arrested on January 12 at the Singhu border allegedly because of her identity as activist who works for the rights of labourers. Nodeep played a significant role in bringing over 1,500 labourers to march in support of the farmers movement, said Rajveer.

The Delhi police claimed Nodeep Kaur was leading the mob and charged her for rioting, unlawful assembly, hurting police personnel, extortion, snatching and use of force and the non-bailable offence of attempt to murder. However, news of sexual assault of the activist in-custody as well as the denial of her bail brought her case to national and international attention.

MPs in Lok Sabha such as Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) Harsimrat Kaur voiced Nodeep’s imprisonment and ensuing sexual harassment during Parliamentary proceedings on February 10.

“They [the government] talk about Dalits. This [shows image of Nodeep] 24-year-old was imprisoned and subjected to various sexual mistreatments since January 26,” said Harsimrat Kaur whose party was formerly affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On the same day, British Labour Party MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi who said, “Alarmed to learn of sexual assault and torture allegations in police custody of Punjabi trade unionist Nodeep Kaur, who after 4 weeks hasn’t even been granted bail. Abuse of peaceful farmers protest activists, especially women, is an affront to democracy and civilised society.”

SabrangIndia’s sister organisation, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has filed a petition seeking immediate release of the young activist as well as dismissal of all charges against her.

To take a more comprehensive look at Nodeep’s case and related developments in the last 30 days, here are some important aspects of Nodeep’s arrest:

February 6, 2021: Why was Dalit activist Nodeep Kaur denied bail?

Sessions Judge Yashvir Singh Rathor heard Nodeep’s case and said that the “applicant does not deserve concession of bail and bail application is dismissed.” The court said that the applicant faces serious allegations while another FIR against her relating to extortion of money and threats is pending. The case was registered on the basis of the statement of Inspector Ravi Kumar SHO Police Station Kundli, Sonipat who said that an armed mob of 50-60 persons led by Nodeep and armed with lathis and dandas were raising slogans and attacked police officials with lathis.

February 5, 2021: Release Dalit Trade Union activist Nodeep Kaur: CJP

CJP filed a petition to highlight how the young activist was allegedly assaulted in Karnal jail.  The petition demands her immediate release and dropping of all trumped up charges against her. Further, CJP also urged those who sign the petition, to write to the Karnal jail authorities and protest the atrocities against the Dalit, trade union activist. The petition has since been shared by actor Sushant Singh and child rights activist Harish Iyer.

Those eager to sign the petition may click here.

January 25, 2021: Why was Dalit labour rights activist, Nodeep Kaur, arrested from Singhu Border?

SabrangIndia’s exclusive interview with Nodeep’s sister Rajveer highlights the regular atrocities faced by people fighting for the rights of the oppressed. Interviewed shortly after the arrest, the Delhi University student talks about the regular discrimination against migrant labourers, Dalits. During the conversation she also accused the police of sexual assault and condemned the authorities for framing Nodeep as the attacker.

Related:

Release Nodeep Kaur

Why was Dalit activist Nodeep Kaur denied bail?

Release Dalit Trade Union activist Nodeep Kaur: CJP

Why was Dalit labour rights activist, Nodeep Kaur, arrested from Singhu Border?

The post Justice for Nodeep Kaur: Trade union activist turns 24 years behind bars appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The post Release Nodeep Kaur appeared first on SabrangIndia.