Four RTI activists booked for ‘defaming’ BDA

Times of India: Bengaluru: Friday, 07 August 2020.

The public relations officer of Bangalore Development Authority lodged a complaint with Seshadripuram police, alleging four RTI activists cum-social workers and others were defaming BDA officials by sharing false and derogatory information with a news website. Their intent, he said, was to extort BDA officials.

Complainant Girish LP identified the accused as RTI activist Saidatta, Shivkumar BM, president, Jayaprakash Narayan Vedike, Joseph Seravo, Kumar and others.

“The accused visit BDA on the pretext of collecting information under RTI. During such visits, they collect information on decisions taken by senior BDA officials and then share the same in a derogatory manner. The accused have shared their opinions with a news website on the decisions made by BDA, and passed comments in bad taste. They are trying to extort BDA officials by making such false allegations,” Girish’s complaint read.

Based on the complaint, police booked the accused under IPC sections 384 (extortion) and 196 (using evidence known to be false) and Information Technology Act.

BDA commissioner HR Mahadev said they filed the complaint to seek legal protection against those trying to tarnish the image of its officials. “We are not against RTI activists. But some people think that BDA must run according to their wishes. In BDA, we have a set of rules and regulations and we abide by guidelines all the time. Following such a legal path is proving difficult for some. So the FIR has been registered,” he said.

Saidatta, one of the accused, told TOI they had sought information on issues like expenditure incurred by BDA and land allotments in layouts like Kempegowda and Arkavathy. “It is an attempt to restrict activists like me. But we will not budge. We are not responsible for the comments passed by the news website. We shared whatever documents we had,” he said.

A police official said they are in the process of collecting material from the complainant and the accused. “We have directed the complainant to furnish documents supporting his claims. Similarly, we will summon the accused and take their statements by this weekend,” he said.