Times of India: Nagpur: Tuesday, 09 May 2023.
The police have turned down an RTI query related to security provided to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the expenses incurred on it.
The grounds cited: The special branch, which provides security to the RSS, comes under the police commissionerate and is exempt from RTI Act under Section 24 (4).
An activist Lallan Kishore Singh had sought information about rules under which the police provide security to the RSS and its chief, especially when the organization is not even registered.
The activist had also asked how much does the state incur each month on providing the security. How much has been spent over the security so far, and has the money been recovered from the RSS.
Even as the reply is dated April 26, Singh says he received it on Monday (May 8). A messenger reached his home in Hingna area but since he was out of station the reply was sent through WhatsApp, claims Singh.
The refusal to answer Singh’s query only comes after a high drama. Singh had posted the query for the second time. His earlier attempt to get information under the RTI two years ago ended up with police questioning him.
After this, he moved the high court against police’s action. Later the cops stated before the court that the applicant would no longer be questioned and the case was disposed of. TOI had reported the development.
In 2021, Singh had asked the information from the state’s home ministry, from where the query was passed on to the state intelligence department. It later came to Kotwali police station and in between Singh was summoned by the traffic police for questioning.
“I was called three to four times by the police,” says Singh, adding after which he moved the court for relief.
After the police’s submission that he would be no longer questioned, Singh again filed the RTI query which has now been turned down.
The police have turned down an RTI query related to security provided to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the expenses incurred on it.
The grounds cited: The special branch, which provides security to the RSS, comes under the police commissionerate and is exempt from RTI Act under Section 24 (4).
An activist Lallan Kishore Singh had sought information about rules under which the police provide security to the RSS and its chief, especially when the organization is not even registered.
The activist had also asked how much does the state incur each month on providing the security. How much has been spent over the security so far, and has the money been recovered from the RSS.
Even as the reply is dated April 26, Singh says he received it on Monday (May 8). A messenger reached his home in Hingna area but since he was out of station the reply was sent through WhatsApp, claims Singh.
The refusal to answer Singh’s query only comes after a high drama. Singh had posted the query for the second time. His earlier attempt to get information under the RTI two years ago ended up with police questioning him.
After this, he moved the high court against police’s action. Later the cops stated before the court that the applicant would no longer be questioned and the case was disposed of. TOI had reported the development.
In 2021, Singh had asked the information from the state’s home ministry, from where the query was passed on to the state intelligence department. It later came to Kotwali police station and in between Singh was summoned by the traffic police for questioning.
“I was called three to four times by the police,” says Singh, adding after which he moved the court for relief.
After the police’s submission that he would be no longer questioned, Singh again filed the RTI query which has now been turned down.
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