Whisteblower harassed, MSHRC orders inquiry

Mumbai : The  Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission has ordered an inquiry against the Kurar police for falsely implicating a whistleblower for extortion charges and harassing him even after being acquitted by the court.

Jitendra  Rameshchandra Sutar(40), a resident of Malad has been fighting against the land mafias for two decades against mass unauthorised illegal construction on government land by slumlords.

A First Information Report(FIR) was registered against Sutar by a land contractor Ratilal Bhuinder Pal against Sutar in  2008. As per the FIR report, Pal was booked for extortion of Rs 25000.

On December 5 this year, summons have been issued by the State Human Rights Commission to the Additional Police Commissioner of North region to reply in this matter.

Speaking to the Free Press Journal, Sutar said, “Pal is into the business of illegal construction and had developed illegal mezzanine floors at chawls at Kokani pada at Malad(E). After I had submitted several complaints to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities in 2008, Pal filed a false case of extortion against me to seek revenge since the BMC had passed demolition orders for the illegal construction. On the basis of this false case, I was extended for two years.”

“Pal and his accomplices had even threatened me at gunpoint at Malad to stop my work as a whistleblower. But I did not pay heed to his death threats which agitated him. However, the police did not take any action against Pal since they are all hand in glove,” alleged Sutar.

“Even after being acquitted by the court on September 16, 2013, I am being repeatedly harassed by the police. The police had barged at my residence at Malad and harassed my ailing parents while I was in Surat for personal work,”said Sutar.

Despite repeated calls and text messages, Uday Kumar Rajeshirke, Senior Police Inspector, Kurar police station remained unavailable for a comment.