Mahisagar Collector’s ‘objectionable remarks’ against tribals: Police sent mobile phone and pen drive to forensic lab

The NCSC had earlier sought an action taken report from police authorities in connection with the episode after receiving a complaint from Ahmedabad-based human rights activist Sanjay Parmar. Sanjay is also the Gujarat state convener of Gnati Nirmulan Samiti, a voluntary organisation. In his complaint, Sanjay had referred to a purported video which was shot during a SWAGAT (State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology) programme in the Mahisagar district on October 23 last year. Sanjay alleged that in the purported video, the then Mahisagar Collector ‘insulted’ a man from the Scheduled Caste community, Vijay Parmar, who was making a representation, while also claiming that 90% of the cases registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, commonly known as Atrocities Act, are being lodged for ‘blackmailing’.

Sanjay has demanded to dismiss the then Mahisagar Collector from service for violation of All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, and to register a criminal case against her for her alleged comments in the purported video under the Atrocities Act. In connection with the communication from NCSC seeking an action taken report on the episode, the office of Mahisagar District Superintendent of Police submitted a report to the Commission last month.

Sanjay recently received the report. In its report, Mahisagar police stated that Vijay, the applicant before the then Collector, had on October 30 last year given a complaint to police to register an FIR against her under the provisions of the Atrocities Act. He had also submitted a pen drive containing the purported video that he had shot on his mobile phone.  Police said that they took the mobile used by Sanjay to shoot the video and the pen drive to FSL in Gandhinagar “for further examination” in November last year. Requesting anonymity, a senior police officer of Mahisagar district  confirmed the development.

The officer said, “We have sent the mobile phone and the pen drive to check if it is authentic or not. Current is the age of Artificial Intelligence and anyone can present anything. We can process the complaint only after (verifying) authenticity (of the video). We are yet to receive the FSL report.”

The purported video earlier came under attack by Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani in October with a demand to register an FIR against the then Collector. Since then, Mevani has been demanding action against Neha Kumar for her alleged “anti-Dalit” and “anti-Adivasi” comments even as he has been writing to various authorities.

Mevani had also raised the issue during the Budget session of Gujarat assembly that concluded last month. Neha Kumari has already termed the allegations against her as baseless and an attempt to get political mileage.