Gwalior news

Vyapam Scam: Whistleblower Claims ‘Unlawful’ Detention; HC Issues Notice to Madhya Pradesh Govt

Justice S. A. Dharmadhikari of the high court’s Gwalior bench on Tuesday gave four weeks to the state government and other respondents to reply to a writ petition filed by the scam whistle-blower, Ashish Chaturvedi.

Gwalior: The Madhya Pradesh high court has issued a notice to the state government on a petition of a whistle-blower of the multi-crore Vyapam admission and recruitment scam, after he alleged that he was unlawfully detained for 18 hours in connection with the case in 2018.

On August 9, 2018, police produced Chaturvedi (29) in a special court here following a warrant issued against him for not deposing in the Vyapam case, Chaturvedi’s advocate D.P. Singh told PTI on Thursday.

Chaturvedi did not record his statement at that time, saying he was the complainant in the case.

He had told the court he would depose only after the investigation into the case is over, Singh said.

The court imposed a fine of Rs 200 on him, saying if he fails to pay it, he should be sent in judicial custody for 15 days, Chaturvedi’s lawyer said.

“On August 9, 2018, Chaturvedi deposited the fine before the close of the court’s working at 4.30 pm and hence, the court ordered that Chaturvedi be let off,” he said.

Even after the court’s direction, Chaturvedi was sent to jail, where some of the accused in the Vyapam scam are also lodged, he alleged.

He walked out of the jail the next day after “18 hours”, Singh said.

In his petition filed in the high court, Chaturvedi has said the “unlawful” detention has tarnished his unblemished character and career.

“My client is seeking a heavy compensation,” Singh said.

The scam refers to irregularities in exams held by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, also called Vyavasayik Pareeksha Mandal or Vyapam, for admission in professional courses and state services.

Multiple criminal cases related to the scam have been filed in different parts of the state. Initially, a special task force of the state police had conducted an investigation into the scam.

In 2016, the Supreme Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct a probe into the scam

(PTI)

Gwalior Police Register FIR Against Journalist for Calling BJP Leaders ‘Gappu’, ‘Tadipar’

Sixty-six-year-old Tansen Tiwari has been booked under IPC sections covering obscene acts and defamation after a BJP leader filed a complaint.

Bhopal: Tansen Tiwari, a veteran journalist from Gwalior district in Madhya Pradesh, has been booked by the police for referring to Bharatiya Janata Party leaders as gappu (braggart) and tadipar (externed) in a social media post on Sunday.

The Gwalior police registered the case after a local BJP leader and advocate, Awdhesh Singh Bhadauria, reported the matter to the Gola Ka Mandir police station on his party’s letterhead.

In his compliant, the BJP leader said that on May 22, 66-year-old journalist Tansen Tiwari wrote a post on Facebook which indirectly describes Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘gappu’ and other party leaders as ‘tadipar’ and ‘balatkari‘ (rapist), which not only defames the party and its leaders but also hurt the sentiments of party leaders and “crores of members”.

Tansen Tiwari. Photo: Facebook/Tansen Tiwari

While Tiwari’s post did not name any leader, Modi is sometimes referred to by critics on social media as “gappu” and “feku” – a reference to his extravagant claims – while home minister Amit Shah is called “tadipar” for being externed by the high court from Gujarat as a condition for his bail in the Sohrabuddin-Kausar Bi custodial killing case.

Also read: Assam: NCW Slams Sacking of Pregnant Journalist

Soon after the BJP leader’s written complaint was submitted, the Gwalior police booked Tiwari. Heera Singh Chouhan, town inspector of Gola Ka Mandir police station, told The Wire, “Based on the BJP leader’s complaint a case has been registered against Tansen Tiwari on Sunday under section 294, 500 of the IPC and section 67 of the IT Act for a Facebook post.”

Section 294 of the IPC pertains to public acts of obscenity (‘Whoever, sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place’), 500 is (defamation) and Section 67 of IT Act relates to publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form).

The police say they are now probing the matter, and that no arrest has been made yet.

Also read: Punjab Police Beat Senior Journalist, Reporter Booked for Astrology Story on Minister

What was the post?

Tansen Tiwari, is a well-known journalist from Gwalior district, has worked for various print and electronic media houses in Madhya Pradesh. Currently, he writes for various media platforms and is an accredited journalist.

Tansen Tiwari’s post, and Awdhesh Singh Bhadauria’s comment.

On May 22, Tiwari posted on his Facebook page in Hindi, “Gappu, Tadipar, Balatkari, aprakirtik sasanghat walo ko pare kar de to BJP suchmuch dheynisht party hai.” (Loose translation: If it gets rid of braggarts, the externed, rapists, and those who keep unnatural company, then the BJP is truly a party which focuses on its goals.)

The BJP’s Awdhesh Singh Bhadauria first commented on this post, “Tansen Tiwari ji, aaj aap ko jail bhejne ki vyavastha karte hai (Tansen Tiwari, be ready to go jail, we are making the arrangements).” And the following morning, he reported the matter to the police.

After the backlash, Tiwari deleted the post.

Bhadauria told The Wire, “The journalist Tiwari is always criticising the leaders of the government including PM Modi and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in his Facebook posts.”

FIR registered against Tansen Tiwari.

Sharing screenshots of Tiwari’s previous post, Bhadauria said this time he indirectly called Modi a gappu and other BJP leaders as tadipar and balatkari, which is “totally inappropriate”.

Watch: Journalists Face Double Threat of Disease and Unemployment

“Hence, I reported the matter in the nearest police station and now the police will do its part,” he said.

Hitting back at Bhadauria’s complaint, Tiwari said, “I have no personal enmity with any BJP leader. I have been a journalist for the last four decades and it’s my right to criticise or question the policies and functioning of the government’s leaders.”

Tiwari claimed that since he wrote against the Union government’s policies and it leaders, the BJP is targeting him and trying to quell his voice. “I demand immediate withdrawal of the case,” Tiwari said.

Journalist body demands withdrawal of FIR

Backing Tiwari, members of the Gwalior Press Club met with the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police and handed over a memorandum on Tuesday. They demanded that the FIR be withdrawn with immediate affect as it was an attack of press freedom.

Members of the Gwalior Press Club meeting the DGP. Photo: Special arrangement

Member of the Gwalior Press Club, Rakesh Singh questioned the functioning of the Gwalior police. He said, “A high level enquiry should have been conduced before registering a case against the journalist. But, since the complainant is from the ruling party, the police did not take pains to conduct the preliminary enquiry and registered the FIR against Tiwari.”

“We have met with the DGP and demanded that press freedom should not be crushed by political leaders and the FIR should be quashed,” Singh said.

Rishav Raj Singh is a final year student at Makhanlal Chaturvedi University and reports from Madhya Pradesh.

CPI(M) Leader in MP Charged With ‘Promoting Enmity’ for Selling Book on Article 370

The book that Sheikh Abdul Ghani was selling was titled ‘Dhara 370 – Setu Ya Surang’ and authored by Jaswinder Singh, chief of the CPI(M)’s Madhya Pradesh wing.

New Delhi: Sheikh Abdul Ghani, a senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader in Gwalior, has been charged with “promoting enmity” by the Madhya Pradesh police for selling a book on Article 370 of the constitution, which was recently read down.

According to the Hindustan Times, 74-year-old Ghani, a former BSNL employee, was booked for promoting enmity between different groups under non-bailable section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code on Wednesday (September 4).

“Police got information on Tuesday evening that a person was selling a controversial book at Phoolbagh square and a heavy crowd had gathered in the area. A team from the Padaav police station reached there,” Navneet Bhasin, Gwalior SP, was quoted as saying. “Police found that the book with contents that could promote enmity among people of different castes and religions was being sold by Sheikh Abdul Ghani.”

Article 370 granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. On August 5, the Central government decided to revoke that special status and bifurcate the state into two union territories. Ever since the move, J&K has been facing severe restrictions, including a communications blackout in large parts of the Kashmir Valley.

Also read: Home Ministry’s Directive to Newspaper for Opinion Piece a Form of ‘Threat’ to Media

The book that Ghani was selling was titled Dhara 370 – Setu Ya Surang and authored by Jaswinder Singh, chief of the CPI(M)’s Madhya Pradesh wing. “The book is being sold across the state and it has nothing objectionable in it. The police took action without even reading the contents of the book with a malafide intention,” Singh said at a press conference.

“We will fight against any action in this regard. Nothing is objectionable in this booklet, which I have also gifted to the states CM Kamal Nath ji, Digvijaya Singh ji (senior Congress leader),” he added.

The head of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s social media cell in Madhya Pradesh had posted against the book. “As per the information that we received, the book has objectionable contents against the merger of J-K (Jammu and Kashmir) with India and also against the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and others. Such literature can cause unrest in society,” Lokendra Parashar said.

Madhya Pradesh is ruled by a Congress government.

(With PTI inputs)