Dear Sarabjit I thought this would amuse you as much as it did me. a press release "Issued in public interest by Krishnaraj Rao"
Krishnaraj Rao, a journalist hoping to become the successor to your bete-noire Prakash Kardaley, has a curious definition for "public interest". If a matka king wants to get part of Rao's plot acquired to make a road only then does it becomes "public interest". ROL Incidentally the ungrateful plagiarist that he is, Rao has copied in-toto your legal advice to him ( http://old.nabble.com/OFFLIST-%3APEDESTRIAN-RIGHTS-to20536230.html#a20541290 ) and not given you credit. Shall we send him a bill for the legal advice rendered? Ashish From: Krishnaraj Rao <[email protected]> > Date: Tue, Jun 22, 2010 at 10:27 AM > Subject: [rti4empowerment] Press Release: Cops’ odd behavior makes RTI > activists ask, “What are they hiding?” > To: [email protected], [email protected], Dr Mohd > Naved Khan RTIgroup <[email protected]> > > > Tuesday 22 June, Mumbai: On Saturday, RTI activists’ alarm bells started > ringing when a dozen cops in police van no. MH01-SA-3313* *parked on > Western Express Highway near Borivli National Park, behaved strangely. A > posse of cops loitering outside the compound of an under-construction > high-rise building belonging to matka-king-turned-builder Pappu Sawla > refused to identify themselves or their superior officer. A couple of them > covered their name plates with their hand when activist Krishnaraj Rao tried > to note their names. They also avoided identifying the senior officer in > charge of their van when asked, until the police control room was contacted. > > > > > Rao had approached the cops saying that he wanted to report destruction of > a public property. The footpath that the cops were standing on was being > driven over by trucks and drilling rigs entering the construction site from > the highway. Rao asked the cops to check whether the contractor had any > papers authorizing this. To his chagrin, the cops shied away. So much for > Mumbai Police vaunted campaign asking people to be Alert > Citizens<http://www.mumbaipolice.org/helpline/alert.htm>! > > > > > In the midst of this heated argument (at about 11.40 pm), activist Girish > Mittal, who was passing by, dialed 100 Police Control Room and gave the > phone to Rao. When Rao talked to the police headquarters about the cops’ > strange behavior and tried to give the phone to the cops, they refused to > take it, but pleaded, “Please get off the phone, we will tell you our > senior’s name”. Then one cop reluctantly identified himself as Assistant > Sub Inspector (ASI) S G Sarang and said he was in charge of the van. Sarang > claimed that the vehicle was patrolling the highway from Dahisar to > Goregaon, and had one constable each from many police stations between > Dahisar and Goregaon. > > > > Sarang then asked Rao to go with him to Kasturba Marg police station and > register a complaint against the builder, to which the latter readily > agreed. At the police station, however, duty officer Duduskar bluntly > refused to register the complaint. (Note: Rao had approached Mr Duduskar and > his boss, Senior Inspector Rajendra Thakur, the previous day. They had > refused to write down a complaint, and told Rao to get directions from the > municipal corporation first.) > > > > *Two years ago, activist G R Vora (98691 95785) had a similar experience > near CST station **when he tried to note down a traffic policeman’s name > and badge number. The cop turned aggressive and nearly hauled him off to > the nearby Azad Maidan police station. Only timely intervention by a very > senior journalist, who was passing by, saved Vora from further > unpleasantness. *“Citizens are expected to produce their driving license > and identification when cops demand it. So what gives cops the right to hide > their identification?” asks Vora. > > > > *Activist Sunil Ahya (98200 71606) had a similar incident last year when > he had an exchange with some traffic cops at Goregaon signal, **and tried > to read their nameplate and note down their names on his mobile. They turned > abusive and threatened to take him to a police station. *“It seems that > policemen have still not got used to the idea that citizens can and will > hold them accountable. They seem to believe that their authority entitles > them to get away with anything,” remarks Ahya. > > * * > > “If the cops are upholding the spirit of the law, they have nothing to fear > from us,” avers Rao. “If they act suspicious, hide their names and > intimidate citizens who ask them legitimate questions, what are the remedies > before a citizen? Where should a citizen lodge a complaint against such > behavior,” he asks. > > > > *Background information & Photos* > > “Sai-Iscon” construction work started on a plot (CTS no. 550, 551 and 552) > that is said to belong to matka king Pappu > Sawla<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Matka-king-Pappu-Savla-faces-fresh-charges/articleshow/4356999.cms>(Also > see Times > of India, 20th June, page > 5<http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=5&edlabel=TOIM&mydateHid=20-06-2010&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar00501&format=&publabel=TOI>). > This landlocked plot has no entry or exit other than the highway, and is > therefore, construction is illegal as per Section 18 of Development Control > (DC) Regulations. However, Section 22(5) of the regulations says that the > Municipal Commissioner can order the occupants of the adjoining plot to give > access. So, if Sai-Iscon is built without proper authorization to open a > gate on the highway, the building will be “regularized” by using Rao’s > building compound as thoroughfare, causing a nuisance. Rao phoned BMC’s > 24-hour complaint line 1916 and submitted two complaints (No. 0720833366 and > -68), and is struggling to get various authorities to sit up and take note > of various violations. > > > > Contrary to popular misconception that only the municipal corporation is > responsible in preventing such illegalities, the police is also responsible > as per the Indian Penal Code. However, because of police refusal to register > complaints and take prompt action, and because of endless buck-passing > between police, Mumbai’s municipal corporation, MMRDA, PWD and other > authorities, builders get away with all sorts of illegalities and > public-spirited citizens are frustrated in their efforts to bring them to > book. > > > > *1. **Photos of the patrol van & evasive cops outside construction > site**,* taken by Rao: http://www.box.net/shared/0zaxib5i7z > > > > *2. **Photos of the construction* *work* violating numerous > provisions: (i) destroying footpath near highway (ii) cutting trees (iii) > carrying out piling work for foundation less than one metre away from > adjoining building compounds: http://www.box.net/shared/toobodd3dk > > > > Issued in public interest by Krishnaraj Rao > > 98215 88114 > > >
