Buyer of flat cum RTI activist attacked by Builder

[dheerajjain]

Buyer of flat who had raised a dispute against Pune based builder for poor quality and selling of green area to shops. He had filed RTI applications for the same and also complained to authorities. He was allegedly brutually attacked with iron rods by builder goons.

It is time that we speak up and tell Govt. to provide protection to whistleblowers. Jayanta, I request that you should create something on forum for the same.

Please read here (Times of India, 10th April):

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 930665.cms

"PUNE: Two unidentified men brutally assaulted activist Arvind Kaushal with a stick and an iron rod at Kalyaninagar in Pune on Friday night. The activist accused a construction firm — Goel-Raisoni Associates — for the assault.

He had complained against the firm after exposing irregularities in the construction of a building, where he has booked a flat, under the RTI. Kaushal in his complaint said he had received a call from Ganesh Chonde, a firm employee, saying that he wanted to meet him a few minutes before the assault. "I called up the police control room to say that my life was in danger. I was assaulted soon after the call."

A partner of the firm refuted the charges. "He (Kaushal) had raised some objections against some construction work but we never ill-treated him. He is after all our customer."

Senior inspector Deepak Sawant said police have detained two people and were investigating the case. The cops have also provided protection to him.

Sawant said investigations have revealed that there was a dispute between Kaushal and the firm. "He was unhappy with the quality of his flat's construction." Sawant said Kaushal had also complained to the PMC that the firm was constructing shops on a land reserved for a garden in the housing scheme. "