to Village Jharua in Manika Block of Latehar - Ministry of Rural ...

To: Director General of Police (DGP)
Ranchi, Jharkhand
Dear Sir,
Complaint: Malicious FIR lodged in Manika
9 February 2009
We are writing to lodge a complaint against the lodging of a false and malicious FIR in Manika Thana
(Latehar District) against residents of Jerua and Kope Gram Panchayats. According to media reports,
this FIR was lodged by the Forest Department a few days ago. It accuses residents of Jerua and Kope,
including Bhukhan Singh and Niyamat Ansari, of "janlewa hamla" (life-threatening attack) against
officials of the Forest Department who were visiting the village on 3 February. (We have no further
details of the FIR, as the local thana refused to give a copy of it to the persons concerned.)
The malicious character of this FIR is evident from the fact that Bhukhan Singh and Niyamat Ansari
were not there on 3 February. They were in Latehar (and later Manika), with members of our team — the
team we have formed to prepare for the Lok Adalat held in Latehar on 7 February. More precisely, they
were with Sunil Kumar, Kartika Bhatia and Siddhartha. The attached testimony from Sunil Kumar gives
further details of their whereabouts at different times on 3 February. There is absolutely not possibility
of Bhukhan Singh and Niyamat Ansari being in two different places at the same time on 3 February!
There have been earlier cases of harassment of Bhukhan Singh and Niyamat Ansari and even an attempt
to murder Niyamat Ansari on 16 October 2008. This harassment appears to be a response to their work
for better implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Both of them
are poor, vulnerable people who have no means of defending themselves against powerful vested
interests.
We brought this matter to the attention of the Superintendent of Police (SP) Latehar on 6 February, who
said that an enquiry would be conducted on 8 February by the DSP. However, this enquiry is yet to take
place. In any case, we are very apprehensive about such "enquiries" and we find it hard to trust the local
police to conduct it in an impartial manner.
We appeal to you to recognise the malicious character of this FIR and close the case. If an enquiry is
required, please ensure that it is conducted in an impartial manner and that the enclosed testimony is on
record. We look forward to hearing from you.
Jean Dreze (Dr.) Reetika Khera (Dr.)
(Visiting Professor, Allahabad University and Research Associate, G.B. Pant Social
Member, Central Employment Guarantee Council) Science Institute, Allahabad University
cc Superintendent of Police, Latehar
People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)