PIL against senior IPS officer for sharing proof against five arrested activists in press conference

A social activist has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court, seeking action against senior IPS officer Parambir Singh and other police officers for addressing a press conference and sharing details of evidence against the five arrested activists, on their alleged links with Maoists, in the Bhima Koregaon case.

Advocate Nitin Satpute filed the petition on behalf of activist Sanjay Bhalerao, who claims to be a witness to the Bhima Koregaon violence. It is claimed in the plea that Singh during his press conference on August 31, had read out letters purportedly exchanged between the activists. He claimed that the police had "conclusive proof" to link Left-wing activists arrested in June and in the last week to Maoists.

The petition prays that court should initiate action against Singh and other police officers who held the press conference and disclosed "crucial and vital information" pertaining to the case, under Contempt of Courts Act. It also urged the court to direct the state government to take action against the police officers under Article 311 of the Constitution under which a civil servant can be dismissed for misconduct.

According to the petition, "Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Parambir Singh and other police officers, who were present at the press conference, disclosed crucial information with regard to the case. The police officers acted against the order passed by the magistrate court," it added. The petitioner alleged that the probe carried out by the Pune police was politically motivated and with malafide intentions.

On Monday, the high court, while hearing another petition seeking an NIA probe into the case, raised questions over the press conference and said police should not have addressed the media when the Supreme Court was seized of the matter.

Police had arrested activists Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut in June while probing the alleged Maoist connection with the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31 last year.