Indian
Express: New Delhi: Monday, 29 June 2015.
The Central
Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Home Ministry to search and make
public the FIR and charge sheet filed by Delhi Police in connection with the
assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948. The CIC directive came
after Hemanta Panda, a resident of Bolangir in Odisha sought the records from
the Ministry Of Home Affairs in March,
2013.
The MHA in
April 2013 had forwarded the RTI application to National Archive of India
(NAI) which is repository of the Indian
political history and to the Director of Gandhi Samriti and Darshan.
The NAI on
April 18, 2013 told Panda that he might visit the NAI to consult the available
records and find out the information required in keeping with the provisions of
the public records act, 1993 and public records rules, 1997.
Panda, in a
CIC hearing last week, informed that on April 29, 2013, the Gandhi Samriti and
Darshan Samiti had provided him with all details, except for the information on
Point 1 and partial information on Point 6 through which he had enquired
whether post-mortem of the body was performed according to the law.
“He stated
that the Gandhi Samriti and Darshan Samiti informed him that no post-mortem was
performed as per the wishes of the family. At Point No.1, Panda sought a copy
of the final charge-sheet filed in the case along with a copy of the FIR, which
the Gandhi Samriti and Darshan Samiti did not posses but informed him that the
FIR was registered by the Tughlak Road Police Station. The Appellant (Panda)
insisted that he be given the information he had sought from MHA.”
“Accordingly,
we direct the CPIO of MHA to make another search to see whether any information
regarding Point No.1 is available with the ministry or with the Tughlak road
Police station. If so, the CPIO should provide such information to the
appellant (panda) free of cost,” Information Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal said
in his order dated June 25, 2015.
The order
also noted that in case information is not available in MHA or Tughlak road
Police Station, the ministry must inform Hemanta Panda in writing within 30
days.
“The above
directives of the Commission should be carried out by the CPIO, MHA within 30
days of the receipt of the order, under intimation to the Commission,” he said.
Sabharwal
also said Panda is at liberty to avail himself of the facilities offered by the
National Archives of India to consult their records.
Gandhi was
assassinated by Hindu right wing militant Nathuram Godse at Birla House on
January 30, 1948 when the Mahatma was coming out to attend his daily prayer
meeting. Gandhi succumbed to injuries at the Birla House.
Gandhi, who
fervently espoused Hindu-Muslim unity, had faced five unsuccessful attempts on
his life since 1934 before being assassinated.
Eight people,
including Godse, were charged for the assassination.
.JPG)
.JPG)
