2 Greenpeace activists arrested in midnight raid

Greenpeace alleged the midnight arrests were illegal and said the activists had tried to film the demarcation of trees in Mahan forests a few days ago. It alleged police beat up an activist who refused to sign a confession.

The four were booked for snatching the equipment meant for survey, criminal intimidation and obstructing officials on government duty. They were produced before a magistrate who sent them to judicial custody on Thursday.

On Friday, Akshay Gupta and Vinita Gupta, the two Delhi-based Greenpeace activists, and Vijay Shankar Singh, a local MSS member, were granted bail by a local court. Bechanlal Shah, another MSS member, was denied bail.

Singrauli collector M Selvendran said the activists had prevented forest officials from carrying out a survey, threatened the officials and taken away their equipment. He claimed the arrests were made from the Greenpeace office at night to avoid a backlash and, quoting the Superintendent of Police, denied the activists were beaten up or made to sign a confession. He said the DFO had lodged an FIR about the incident.

Executive director of Greenpeace India Samit Aich claimed Essar was behind the arrests because it was afraid its wrongdoings in Mahan would be exposed. Esser alleged the arrests took place within 48 hours of a protest on Monday when MSS members, including women, confronted Essar officials and asked them to stop marking trees.

Jan Sangharsh Morcha, a group of NGOs, demanded immediate release of the four activists.