Journalism of Courage
Premium
This is an archive article published on July 4, 2022
Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad arrested from Jaipur hotel, activists cry foul
Talking to The Indian Express, Dalit activist Dharmendra Kumar said Azad had reached Jaipur to support the protest called by Covid Health Assistants (CHA), who have been demanding regularisation of their jobs.
“What was the urgency to arrest them in the middle of the night? The other 21 accused, all Dalits who were with Azad in the hotel, were also dragged out from their rooms and all 22 were arrested under CrPC section 151,” the PUCL said in a statement. (Express File Photo)
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)Rajasthan on Sunday condemned what it termed was “illegal arrest” of Bhim Army Chief Chandra Shekhar Azad and 21 others by the Jaipur Police from a hotel in Jaipur in the intervening night of July 1 and 2.
Talking to The Indian Express, Dalit activist Dharmendra Kumar said Azad had reached Jaipur to support the protest called by Covid Health Assistants (CHA), who have been demanding regularisation of their jobs.
“They were planning to support CHA on July 2. Jaipur police was also told that if the government does not want the protest to be held now, it can be postponed. Alternatively, a memorandum can be submitted to a government official. However, the police arrived around 12:30 am and picked up Azad and others,” Kumar said.
“What was the urgency to arrest them in the middle of the night? The other 21 accused, all Dalits who were with Azad in the hotel, were also dragged out from their rooms and all 22 were arrested under CrPC section 151,” the PUCL said in a statement.
“It is our understanding that the use of CrPC section 151 to arrest Azad makes a mockery of the freedom of speech and expression. It is worth repeating that the police under the said section have the power to arrest on ‘knowing of the design to commit any cognizable offence’ but of which there was no evidence, instead they were in a dialogue with the police. It is clear that the police are exercising their unbridled power of preventive detention and denying Azad his constitutional right to protest,” PUCL said.
PUCL also alleged that Azad and others were sent to judicial custody without following the due process, stating that “The use of this executive power has no judicial safeguards in Jaipur, with the bail lying entirely within the police apparatus. The Executive Magistrate arbitrarily sent Azad to judicial custody without providing the accused any opportunity to be heard and bail application to be filed.”
DCP West Mridul Kachawa said that it was a “preventive arrest.” Currently, section CrPC 144 is imposed across the state for a month, following the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur.
Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Advertisement
Live Blog