Times of India: Noida: Thursday, 08 May 2014.
An RTI
activist who was abducted and tortured for four days by armed assailants last year
has alleged that police are mounting pressure on him to withdraw the case.
While the city police had lodged an FIR, the activist said cops are treating it
as just another case and alleged that instead of nabbing the accused, they
harassed his relatives and friends.
Anoop Singh,
a resident of Dankaur in Gautam Budh Nagar, has filed several RTI petitions on
infrastructure projects in the district, which earned him reputation of a
whistleblower. He was abducted by armed men on December 13, 2013. Four days
later he was found nude and severely injured in neighbouring Bulandhshar, his
private parts burnt with cigarettes and hot iron rods. It took him almost a
month to recover.
Speaking to
TOI, Anoop said he continues to face mental torture, with cops harassing his
family members. "Police had lodged an FIR under mounting media pressure.
Soon after, they started harassing my family and friends. I had named the
contractors who could be behind my abduction but the cops, instead of acting
against them, started targeting my relatives and friends," Singh said.
TOI had first
in December 2013 reported about the RTI activist being 'awarded' for his fight
against corrupt officials and contractors. The National Human Rights Commission
had then taken suo motu cognizance and issued notices to the DGP of Uttar
Pradesh and Noida SSP.
"My
sister's husband among other relatives and friends were picked up by police and
were harassed, which forced me to give in few months ago. I resumed my fight
after some of my family members and friends encouraged me. I will be going to
court soon," said Singh.
"I will
soon write to UP chief minister and DGP on the government's failure to protect
whistleblowers in the state. I will also be going to court to ensure
whistleblowers are protected and stringent action is taken against land mafia
targeting activists," Singh said.
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