Despite RTI order, DoPT withholds details over backlog vacancies under SC, ST categories
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News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Delhi court upholds magistrate's order refusing probe against NDMC officials
New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) A Delhi court has dismissed an appeal against a magistrate's order refusing to issue summons and order an investigation into assault allegations against four New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) officials, including a chief engineer. Additional sessions judge Saurabh Partap Singh Laler observed that in cases involving allegations against public servants in restricted government premises, courts had to exercise heightened scrutiny to shield them from vexatious litigation. The court was hearing a revision petition by Vishal Parashar, a contractor, who alleged that he was assaulted, threatened, and wrongfully detained by four NDMC officials, including a chief engineer, an executive engineer and two security officials, in the civic body's Palika Kendra office on March 10, 2023. Parashar then filed a plea in a magisterial court seeking a summons against the accused and an investigation, but it was dismissed in March this year on the grounds that the complaint was 'unsubstantiated and potentially motivated by ongoing civil or contractual grievances with NDMC". Against the magistrate's order, Parashar filed the present appeal. In an order dated July 23, the court said, 'In cases involving allegations against public servants in restricted government premises, courts must exercise heightened scrutiny to shield officials from vexatious litigation arising from official duties." Flagging the issue of Parashar not providing a valid proof of entry and lack of permission to meet the chief engineer, it trashed his claim that no pass was demanded from him ever since he started visiting the office in 2017. 'The magistrate's reasoning is precise and justified, reinforcing that such unsubstantiated claims cannot form the basis for criminal prosecution," the court said. It said that the magistrate had correctly discerned that the petitioner's grievances stemmed from protracted civil disputes involving contractual payments, RTI appeals, and claims against NDMC. The court said the alleged incident arose during an unsolicited visit to discuss these matters, indicating an ulterior motive to leverage criminal proceedings as a tool to coerce the release of approximately Rs 15 lakh in pending dues. The court further noted that the magistrate had also correctly flagged other issues, such as the absence of independent public witnesses and the lack of corroboration of the allegations. It said, 'The magistrate appropriately underscored that the issuance of summons under Section 204 of Code of Criminal Procedure demands judicial satisfaction of sufficient grounds, rather than a mechanical exercise." 'The order's comprehensive analysis— encompassing vague allegations, evidentiary deficits, and the underlying civil motives— reflects a diligent application of this standard, ensuring that criminal proceedings are not initiated frivolously," the court added. Dismissing the appeal, it said there was no impropriety in the magistrate's order. PTI MNR MNR KVK KVK view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 19:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Gujarat state information commission orders cops to share CCTV footage, mask identities
Ahmedabad: In a key ruling, the Gujarat State Information Commission has directed Rakhial police station to provide CCTV footage to an RTI applicant arrested in a gambling case, but after masking the identities of other accused persons. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Mohammed Sufiyan Rajput, arrested on Feb 25, 2024, filed an RTI on March 19 seeking footage showing entry and exit of all accused at the police station. The public information officer (PIO) denied the request under Section 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act, citing potential interference with investigation. Rajput's first appeal was rejected by the deputy commissioner of police, Zone 5. He then approached the commission on July 16, 2024, demanding the footage and penal action against the PIO. During the hearing, the PIO argued that the footage could not be shared due to the presence of other accused. However, the commission observed that "the information related to the applicant could be segregated and shared without compromising others' privacy." The state information commission, in its final order on July 8 this year, directed the PIO "to provide the relevant CCTV footage to Rajput free of cost, after masking other individuals' identities, within 30 days by RPAD". It also directed the PIO to submit a compliance report. Rajput, however, expressed dissatisfaction, "What will I do with a masked video footage? How will I fight my innocence?" RTI advocate Pankti Jog of Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel insists that the nature of information sought by Rajput relates to issues of governance, public duties and responsibilities, "A masked video footage is like providing a blank page under RTI. When someone seeks information, they seek it as proof. If they do not get meaningful information, how will they pursue justice?" Former central information commissioner and RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi added, "The proviso to Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act clearly states that information which cannot be denied to Parliament or a state legislature shall not be denied to any person. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now If the public body believes masked footage is sufficient, would it provide the same to Parliament or state legislature? I think the complete footage should be provided to the citizen. " Inspector B G Chetaria confirmed the footage was sent via registered post aknowledgment due (RPAD) following the commission's order but claimed ignorance about whether Rajput received it. Rajput, however, alleged he never got the video. "Since I did not receive the masked footage, I did not sign an acknowledgement."
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahi does sit-ups after facing backlash from lawyers for reprimanding clerk
LUCKNOW: A video clip purportedly showing IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahi doing sit-ups, holding his ears amid a protest by lawyers in Shahjahanpur, went viral on social media on July 29, sparking quite a buzz in administrative and legal circles in Uttar Pradesh. The incident took place after Rahi, the 2022-batch IAS officer, recently appointed as the SDM of Puwayan tehsil in Shahjahanpur district, spotted a lawyer's clerk urinating in the open during an inspection. Offended by the act, the officer allegedly reprimanded the clerk and made him do sit-ups, triggering a backlash from the lawyers who gathered in protest and allegedly forced Rahi to do the same. In fact, the IAS officer had joined as SDM at 2 pm on July 29 and had set on an inspection immediately. The protesting lawyers said the man (clerk) had no choice but to relieve himself in the open due to the deplorable condition of the tehsil's public toilets. Meanwhile, the SDM approached the lawyers and said that even if protests and demonstrations are allowed, the sound from loudspeakers should not reach the office. During the interaction, the lawyers raised the issue of the clerk being made to do sit-ups and questioned: 'If the toilets are in such a filthy condition, where are the lawyers and clerks supposed to go?' As tensions rose, SDM Rahi acknowledged the fault of the administration and took an extraordinary step. In front of the protesting lawyers and staff, he held his ears and performed five sit-ups, declaring: 'I, too, will not urinate in the open. I must follow the rules myself.' He admitted that the poor state of sanitation in the tehsil was a failure on his part as an administrator. Despite attempts made by the lawyers to stop him, Rahi went ahead with the 'self-imposed punishment'. He assured the gathering that immediate steps would be taken to clean and repair the toilets, and pledged to improve overall hygiene on the tehsil premises. Rinku Singh Rahi served as a PCS officer before becoming IAS officer in 2022. His journey took a dramatic turn in 2009 during the Mayawati regime when, as a district social welfare officer in Muzaffarnagar, he exposed a Rs 100-crore scholarship scam. This led to an attack on him by local gangsters, who shot him seven times, leaving him with a disfigured face, a damaged jaw and blindness in one eye. Rahi, hailing from Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, continued his fight against corruption, filing RTI applications. He cleared the UPSC exam in 2022 under the disability quota, securing the 683rd rank at the age of 40.
