Co-ordination of Democratic Rights Organisations (CDRO) is strongly condemning the raids of NIA(National Investigation Agency) on the houses of Rights Activists and activists belongs to various peoples organisations.
NIA has raided the houses of nearly 16 Human Rights, Civil liberties, feminist activists and progressive writers in AP and Telangana. The raids began on 31st March evening and continued till the early hours of the 1st April, for most of the activists.
Backdrop of these raids:
On 23-11-2020 the A.P. police registered a crime against 65 activists of Rights organisations and other activists of various Mass organisations under sections 120 (B), 121, 121(A), 143, 144, 124 (A) r/w 149 of IPC, sections 10, 13 and 18 of UAPA, 8 (1) and 8 (@) of A.P. Public Security Act, and section 25 of the Arms Act, based on the alleged confession of an arrested Moist sympathiser through vide Crime No. 47/2020 of Munchingput Police Station, Vishakhapatnam District. In the same manner another FIR 606/2020, has been registered at Piduguralla Police station, Guntur District on the very next day i.e., on 24 -11-2020. A total of 92 people were accused in both the FIR’s in which 27 people being common in both, who mostly belong to Human Rights, Civil liberties, women’s and writers organisations are academics, writers, feminists and lawyers. Among them the A.P. Police arrested 10 people, who are now in the jail.
In the mean while the rest of the activists (accused) whose names were find place in the both the FIR’s approached the Hon’ble A.P. High court for quashing of FIR’s against them, by way writ petitions. In those cases, the Hon’ble High court issued interim protection orders to the petitioners by directing the police not to arrest them and said orders are in force. Those petitions are part heard. In the above circumstances, NIA took over the case of Manchingput P.S., and re-registered the case as RC-0 1/2021/NIA/HYD, on 07-03-2021.
After NIA took over the investigation in to its hands, they planned to raid the hoses of some of the activists, whose names are appeared in the above said F.I.R. in a well-planned manner, by obtained search warrants from the NIA special Court. Accordingly they have raided the houses of:
Civil Liberties Committee (CLC) activists V. Raghunath, Vice-president of CLC, Telangana, V.Chitti Babu, Chilika Chandrshekhar (president & General secretary of CLC A.P. State. V.S.Krishna ( Human Rights Forum), Paani, Varalakshm, Arun (Revolutionary writers association), Devendra, Shilpa, Swapna, Rajeswari and Padma (Chaitanya Mahila Sangam), Dappu Ramesh (Prajakala Mandali), Anjamma Sirisha, (Amarula bandhu mitrula sangham) and one Advocate K.S. Chalam of Vishakhapatnam.
The NIA seized the mobile phones, laptops, pen drives, photos and literature which is in the form of books etc,. After the search and seizure, the NIA issued notices to all of them u/s. 160 Cr.P.C., and asked them to attend before them at their office at Vijayawada and Hyderabad.
We know that this is a deliberate attempt by the NIA to collect evidence against the activists to rope them in tight into the case. We have already had an experience, how they plant incriminating evidence alleged to be implanted in the electronic devices that were seized. On the other hand these raids are just a witch hunt and an effort to silence the voice of dissent, who have been raising their voice against violations of Civil and democratic rights of the people of this country. All these activists are working in their respective fields to safe guard the constitutional rights of the people. They are working against all forms of violations of Rights the
State agencies and other Dominant sections of the Society. All are working within the frame work of legal system.
We know NIA is trying to put behind bars activists all over the country in the name of Maoism and terrorism, crafting false cases of conspiracy relating to destabilising the Indian Government etc.,
Even when the matter is pending before the Hon’ble High Court of A.P., the action of NIA, is highly condemnable and its should be deprecated with high tone. It is pertinent to note that the formation of NIA itself is unconstitutional, UAPA which is a Decronian law and both these Acts are challenged and pending before Supreme Court. Since these acts are undemocratic, we are appealing all the democratic sections across the nation, should raise their voice opposing the same.
We demand immediate repeal of UAPA and NIA. We further demand to drop any further action in this case.
K.KRANTHI CHAITANYA
PREETIPAL SINGH
TAPAS CHAKRABARTHY
CDRO Convenors
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