Uttarakhand CM orders police inquiry against his own office in scribe arrest 

The arrest of a journalist who has been critical of the state BJP government by police on the charges of alleged extortion of money and the subsequent uproar and allegations of ‘revengeful’ act by the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has forced the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat to order a probe into the matter.

Shiv Parsad Semwal, editor of ‘Parvatjan’ news portal who has been critical of the state Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and BJP government in his writings was arrested on November 23 on a complaint of money extortion filed by one Neeraj Rajput in police station Sahaspur in Dehradun district in the month of October this year.

Shiv Parsad Semwal was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by the court.

This led to an uproar and allegations that the office of the Chief Minister played a role to put pressure on the police to arrest Shiv Parsad Semwal. Local journalists held a protest dharna and also wrote to state governor and the Prime Minister against the arrest.

Interestingly, to ward off the allegations, the office of the Chief Minister wrote a letter to the Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to probe whether there was any pressure from the Chief Minister office or anywhere else leading to the arrest of journalist Shiv Parsad Semwal.

The letter written by Hem Chander Bhatt, senior private secretary to the Chief Minister creates more doubts as how a SSP will probe whether there was pressure from the office of the Chief Minister.

Raghunath Singh Negi, a former vice-president of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) and President of Jan Sangharsh Morcha who has taken up the issue has charged the Chief Minister of being vindictive against those criticizing him.

He said that earlier also Chief Minister had lodged a case against an unemployed youth Rajpal who is a son of statehood agitator. He further said that Chief Minister is himself holding the home portfolio and now trying to divert the issue by writing a letter to SSP.

“If anyone one has done any illegal act then, law should take it’ own course. But, putting a journalist under arrest on frivolous charges is condemnable,” he said.

Interestingly, following the letter written by CM office, SSP Dehradun has appointed a deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to probe the matter.