Times
of India: Mumbai: Tuesday, 19 August 2014.
Former chief
information commissioner (CIC) Shailesh Gandhi has shot off a letter to the DCP
(zone XI) asking him what prompted Devendra Kumar Jain, assistant commissioner
of the P-north ward, to declare 70 citizens who are RTI users, as blackmailers
and anti-social persons.
Jain had
asked the DCP to provide the police records of 70 citizens, whom he alleged,
filed complaints regarding illegal constructions. It was also stated that these
were professional complainants who demanded money from the owners of illegal
constructions and made complaints against officers who took action against
illegal constructions.
"Two RTI
activists S K Nangia and Bhaskar Prabhu went to the BMC officer to see the
complaints. No evidence was available," Gandhi noted in his letter.
"This leads us to believe that citizens who are filing RTI applications
and complaints regarding unauthorize constructions are probably being targeted
to overawe and silence them," he added.
In fact, RTI
activists feel there might be complaints against Jain for not taking action
against unauthorized constructions, or corruption; they have asked the DCP to
provide a detailed record of complaints and cases against Jain.
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