News

Jharkhand HC raps police, asks DGP to file affidavit in person on fake Maoist surrender

RANCHI: The Jharkhand High Court directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to personally file an affidavit in the case of tribal youths being forced to surrender, branding them as Maoists. 514 tribal youths from the state were allegedly coerced into a staged surrender after being falsely labelled as Maoists, and were later duped and exploited in a systematic manner under the guise of employment. Expressing strong displeasure, the court particularly objected to the fact that in such a sensitive and serious matter, the affidavit was filed by a junior officer instead of a senior police officer. The division bench, headed by Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, observed that in such cases, senior police officers should personally file affidavits to reveal the true situation and delve deeper into the matter. The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by Jharkhand Council for Democratic Rights, alleging that the tribal youths were lured with the promise of jobs in CRPF and then forced to surrender by falsely impersonating them as Maoists. The petitioner further alleged that senior state police officers spent crores of rupees on this entire affair to receive awards from the Union Home Minister. The PIL also sought an independent inquiry into allegations. Advocate Rajeev Kumar, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, informed that out of 514 tribal youths, prepared to surrender before the police, only 107 were genuine Maoists, rest were innocent tribal youths. The court expressed serious displeasure over the filing of an affidavit by a DSP rank officer and directed the DGP to file the affidavit in person, said Kumar. During the hearing, Kumar argued that the affidavit was filed by a DSP rank officer so that the responsibility does not fall on the senior police officers. Kumar also argued that none of the former Maoists who surrendered were given any benefits provided under the state policy. Now, all those former Maoists, who have joined the mainstream, are preparing to file a petition individually, demanding the benefits provided by the state government under the surrender policy. Out of 107 only two were given jobs, while the rest are still waiting for their dues, Kumar said. 52 people had already filed petitions individually. The rest will file it soon in the High Court, he said. Hearing the plea, the High Court had asked the Centre and the State to clarify whether the allegations and whether these youths were kept at the old jail compound in Ranchi. The court had also sought an explanation on whether training under the pretext of securing jobs in the CRPF had any legal validity.