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Jithendra.H.J (Lawyer)     14 January 2010

RTI activist Killed

 Pune, Jan. 14 -- Four days after unidentified persons fired outside the south Mumbai house of civic activist Nayana Kathpalia, Right To Information (RTI) activist Satish Shetty was murdered on Wednesday morning in Pune. Shetty, who led a crusade against illegal land transactions in Pune district's Lonavla region, lived in Talegaon Dabhade on the old Mumbai-Pune highway, 40 kms from Pune. The 39-year-old was returning from his morning walk on Wednesday when a group of unidentified persons attacked him with sharp weapons. He sustained serious injuries all over the body. His brother, Sandeep, rushed him to Pawna Hospital at Somatane Phata, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. No arrests had been made until late on Wednesday night. Sandeep lodged a complaint with Talegaon Dabhade police station saying that his brother had been receiving threatening phone calls for the past few days over a land transaction in Maval taluka (sub-district), on which he had sought information under RTI. Sandeep, in his complaint, had named a city businessman closely associated with politicians. Shetty, an activist of Bhrashtacharvirodhi Dakshata Samiti (anti-corruption vigilance committee), had used the RTI to force the government to take action against several illegal transactions. He was associated with anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare. Shocked by the murder, RTI activists in Pune decided to meet on Friday to chalk out their next course of action. Vijay Kumbhar of the Surajya Sangharsha Samiti said that RTI activists across the country have been facing threats and the government should take steps to protect them. An NGO MITRA [Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Revenge against Activists] has written to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into Shetty's murder.

 

 

News appeared in Hindustan Times



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 10 Replies


(Guest)

It's really shocking news for reformers of our Nation. It also reminds all of us that our Country is still how it was and not even moved an inch after Gandhiji's assassination! I thank Shri Jitendra for enlightening this news.

Jithendra.H.J (Lawyer)     14 January 2010

 Yes, it is really shocking, who will protect the Honest persons? he was asset to Indian citizens,  

even god will fear to send Honest persons to India 

Bhartiya No. 1 (Nationalist)     15 January 2010

Mr. Stayendra Dubey, Mr. Manjunath Sanmugham, and so no, whoever has tried to go against the tide have met the same fate. For wrong doers this country is heaven, and for honest, law abiding persons, it is a living hell. Perhaps God is calling innocent persons, from here and wants keep them with him.

K.C.Suresh (Advocate)     15 January 2010

All over world this tragedy is happening. Who will protect them no body. Protect ourself. That is what the other side want-to create helpless feeling

Bhartiya No. 1 (Nationalist)     16 January 2010

Here nobody/no authority is protecting anyone, everybody is protecting themselves. everybody is living and growing with his/her fate.

Jithendra.H.J (Lawyer)     16 January 2010

16th Jan 2010:

Three persons, including a lawyer, have been arrested in connection with the murder of RTI activist and graft whistle-blower Satish Shetty at Talegaon near here, police said today. The trio was held late last night, they said.The lawyer, Vijay Dabhade, allegedly had an old enmity with Shetty who had exposed many land scams in the Maval region, sources said. The slain activist had lodged complaints against Dabhade in the past for attacking him, they said.Two others held in the case were Pramod Waghmore and Parshuram Telgu. Shetty was murdered by two unidentified assailants at Talegaon, a small village about 45 km from here, on January 13 when he was taking a morning walk.The arrested persons would be produced in a court at Wadgaon in Maval taluka, police said. Police faced flak from Shetty''s family members and social activists of various shades for "slow" response in the case.Several social organisations in the region held a candlelight vigil last night in memory of Shetty, who had worked closely with anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.

 

1 Like

Bhartiya No. 1 (Nationalist)     17 January 2010

Sir, Thanks for the updates.

Jithendra.H.J (Lawyer)     19 January 2010

Days after RTI activist, Satish Shetty, was murdered while on his morning walk by contract killers in Talegaon, his family claims he had asked for protection from the police after receiving threat calls for exposing many a land scams in and around Maharashtra, but no help was provided.In the last 15 years, Shetty had exposed over 150 cases of wrongdoing, making several enemies. Shetty's friend/shopkeeper Arun Mane said,”Bahut dushman the.. woh land mafia aur corrupt government official ke against kaam karte the... to inki wajah se wo paise nahi bana sakte the (He had a lot of enemies because he worked against land mafias and corrupt government officials)

Shetty's family has a list of those against whom Satish filed RTIs.

 

SHETTY'S RTIs

  • Shetty had allegedly exposed the possible illegal acquisition of 2800 acres of land worth Rs 4000 crore by IRB on the Mumbai Pune Expressway.

  • A case of illegal land registration by the director of the Sable Waghire Company.

    The alleged illegal encroachment of land to build the Vaishali wedding hall in connivance with the Talegaon municipality.

  •  

  • Earlier Shetty's RTI had exposed how a private bungalow had come up on Railway land. The bungalow was demolished and the owner's counsel Advocate Dabhade was discredited. Dabhade and 2 more people have been arrested other suspects are being questioned. But many believe Dabhade is a small fry in a big conspiracy.

Satish’s brother Sandeep Shetty said, “The quantum of money involved in all these scams is so huge and people involved are also very highly connected so I think it is pretty obvious that the state machinery will be manipulated.”

Activists in Pune have vowed to further the work that Shetty's death has left incomplete.

RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar said, “We are shocked but not scared.... we will try and push things to the logical end.”

Banners have come up across Talegaon in honour of the man who defined the word incorruptible, whose name is said to have struck a chord of fear in the highest echelons of Government and who became a thorn in many a wrong path but sadly had to pay a hefty price for it.

Sandeep Shetty said, When he started getting into high profile cases, I asked him why are you doing this, he said to me if they kill me, I will come back in another five minutes, I will reincarnate and again sue them.”

Certainly, Satish Shetty will stay alive in the hearts of those he inspired.

Bhartiya No. 1 (Nationalist)     20 January 2010

Sir, Thanks for udating about this unfortunate incidence. And it is bad that he was not provided protection. If things will keep on going like this, this country will be reduced to living hell.


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