BJP MP from Gujarat arrested for murdering RTI Activist

[dheerajjain]

After long delays, finally law is catching up. It is time Govt. passes Whistle-blower Act to prevent activists from being attacked and murdered.

Source: India Today
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bjp- ... 21754.html

BJP MP from Gujarat Dinu Bogha Solanki arrested for murdering RTI activist
PTI New Delhi, November 5, 2013 | UPDATED 23:28 IST

CBI on Tuesday arrested BJP MP from Gujarat Dinu Bogha Solanki in connection with the murder of of RTI activist Amit Jethwa who had waged a crusade against illegal mining in Gir Forest in the state, the last home of Asiatic lions.

Solanki, Lok Sabha member from Junagarh, Gujarat, arrived at the CBI headquarters this morning and was questioned throught the day, after which a CBI team decided to place him under arrest.

CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad said "the Lok Sabha MP from Junagadh has been taken into custody in the case of murder of RTI activist Amit Jethwa.

"He will be produced in a Delhi court tomorrow. Probe in the case is in progress", he added.

CBI sources said the parliamentarian was unable to give satisfactory answers after which it was decided to place him under arrest.

Gujarat Police had arrested six persons, including Shiva Solanki, nephew of the BJP MP, and sharp shooter Sailesh Pandya who had shot at Jethwa outside the Gujarat High Court.

All of them were questioned by CBI inside a jail after taking permission from the designated court.

Jethwa was an RTI and environment activist who had filed numerous RTI applications and a PIL against illegal mining in Gir forest region. He was shot dead on July 20, 2010.

The MP was confronted with the statements given by other arrested accused in the case.

The BJP MP had been given a clean chit by Crime Branch of Gujarat Police prompting the father of the deceased to approach the Gujarat High Court.


Gujarat Police's crime branch had ruled out any involvement of Solanki in the murder.

Terming the probe conducted by the Gujarat Police "far from fair, independent, bona fide or prompt", the High Court had transferred the case to CBI.

The killing had sparked an uproar among RTI activists across the country who raised concerns over the safety of such whistleblowers.

In his plea before the High Court, Jethwa's father Bhikabhai has alleged the state police had not properly probed the case and the state government was shielding the BJP MP.

The court had said the probe in the case was "far from fair, independent, bona fide or prompt".

"It has come on record that Shiva Solanki and DB (Dinu Bogha Solanki) were living together in a joint family and no investigator could have been easily satisfied with the statements that they did not interact in respect of the conspiracy to commit a capital crime," the court had said.

Jethwa had filed several petitions in the Gujarat High Court, including a Public Interest Litigation, in connection with illegal mining in Gir forests in Junagadh district which is a protected area and last home to Asiatic lions.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bjp- ... 21754.html

[dheerajjain]

Time that Govt. passed Whishleblower Act which has been pending in Parliament to prevent these incidents.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-new ... 65124.aspx

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed a chargesheet against Gujarat parliamentarian Dinu Solanki in the Amit Jethwa murder case.

The central agency in November arrested the controversial BJP MP and alleged mining mafioso in connection with the murder of the RTI activist. Jethwa was killed in July 2010 outside the Gujarat high court.

“The chargesheet has been presented in the court and the MP is booked for criminal conspiracy and murder,” a source in the probe agency said, declining to divulge more details.

The CBI is probing the case following the directions of the Gujarat HC, which had slammed the police for “shoddy investigation”. The Gujarat Police had given Solanki, the Junagadh MP, a clean chit.

Disappointed with the police investigation, Jethwa’s father, Bhikabhai, had move the HC and demanded a CBI probe.

In his plea, Bhikabhai had alleged the state police did not probe the case properly and the state government was shielding the BJP MP.

Solanki’s nephew, Shiva, and five others are also accused in the case. Arrested by the Gujarat Police, they are in jail.

A leading RTI activist, Jethwa had launched a campaign against illegal mining in Gir forest, where Solanki and his family members were allegedly involved in the illegal mining of limestone.

Jethwa’s murder had sparked uproar among RTI activists across the country and raised concerns over the safety of whistle-blowers.