The Indian Express: Surat: Friday, 14 March 2025.
In both the cases, the accused allegedly used information gathered through RTI to carry out extortion, said police
Surat police has arrested
two journalists of local vernacular newspapers for their alleged involvement in
extorting money from builders and factory owners.
One of the accused, identified as Sabir Hamid Shaikh (32), a resident of Adajan Patia in Surat, was sent to Bhuj Jail on Thursday under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act.
Surat police said that Shaikh had a couple of extortion cases on his head and was arrested by the Rander police.
He worked as a reporter for a local newspaper.
Police said that the accused took photos of a construction site that he visited, citing provisions of the RTI (Right to Information) Act. He also talked to the builder regarding the construction, which was allegedly being carried out without an approval from the Surat Municipal Corporation.
In another case, the Surat police arrested journalist and RTI activist Jashwant Brahmabhatt, a resident of Rander. Brahmabhatt allegedly collected details of factories in Sachin GIDC from the SMC Zone Office, after which he would reach the factories and raise objections about “illegal structures” being built by the factory owners.
The accused had collected Rs 15,000 from Evin Sukhramwala, a factory owner, a few months ago. After Brahmbhatt asked Sukhram-wala for money again, the latter approached the police.
Sachin GIDC police lodged a complaint of extortion against Brahmbhatt and arrested him on Thursday. A few other factory owners, who had been targeted by Brahmbhatt, approached the police as well.
Sachin GIDC police inspector K A Gohil said, “We have arrested the accused who had blackmailed and threatened many factory owners based on details he had obtained through RTI. We are carrying out further investigations. One of the factory owners told us that he had threatened him at knifepoint and extorted money. The accused had been working in a weekly newspaper as a journalist.”
Notably, Harsh Sanghavi, Minister of State for Home, had on Tuesday said in the state Assembly that the RTI Act, enacted to bring transparency in government functioning, was being used by some people to extort money.
Sanghavi said that this year, 66 FIRs were registered against so-called RTI activists who were found collecting information from government offices through RTI and then extorting money from builders and others. He added that the Gujarat Police is preparing a list of such elements, and stringent actions will be taken against them.
In both the cases, the accused allegedly used information gathered through RTI to carry out extortion, said police
One of the accused, identified as Sabir Hamid Shaikh (32), a resident of Adajan Patia in Surat, was sent to Bhuj Jail on Thursday under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act.
Surat police said that Shaikh had a couple of extortion cases on his head and was arrested by the Rander police.
He worked as a reporter for a local newspaper.
Police said that the accused took photos of a construction site that he visited, citing provisions of the RTI (Right to Information) Act. He also talked to the builder regarding the construction, which was allegedly being carried out without an approval from the Surat Municipal Corporation.
In another case, the Surat police arrested journalist and RTI activist Jashwant Brahmabhatt, a resident of Rander. Brahmabhatt allegedly collected details of factories in Sachin GIDC from the SMC Zone Office, after which he would reach the factories and raise objections about “illegal structures” being built by the factory owners.
The accused had collected Rs 15,000 from Evin Sukhramwala, a factory owner, a few months ago. After Brahmbhatt asked Sukhram-wala for money again, the latter approached the police.
Sachin GIDC police lodged a complaint of extortion against Brahmbhatt and arrested him on Thursday. A few other factory owners, who had been targeted by Brahmbhatt, approached the police as well.
Sachin GIDC police inspector K A Gohil said, “We have arrested the accused who had blackmailed and threatened many factory owners based on details he had obtained through RTI. We are carrying out further investigations. One of the factory owners told us that he had threatened him at knifepoint and extorted money. The accused had been working in a weekly newspaper as a journalist.”
Notably, Harsh Sanghavi, Minister of State for Home, had on Tuesday said in the state Assembly that the RTI Act, enacted to bring transparency in government functioning, was being used by some people to extort money.
Sanghavi said that this year, 66 FIRs were registered against so-called RTI activists who were found collecting information from government offices through RTI and then extorting money from builders and others. He added that the Gujarat Police is preparing a list of such elements, and stringent actions will be taken against them.
.JPG)
.JPG)
