‘No Further Action Against RTI Activist Seeking Information Of Security At RSS HQ’

The Nagpur city police recently assured the Bombay High Court that it will not pursue further action against Right to Information (RTI) Activist, Lalan Kishore Singh, seeking information on the security provided at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters (RSS).

The remark was made by assistant government pleader NS Rao before a division bench of Justice Rohit Deo and Justice Vrushali Joshi, who was hearing a plea filed by Lalan Kishore Singh, a 61-year-old daily wager and activist, who challenged the Nagpur Police notice dated December 26, 2021.

At the hearing, Rao also apologised to Singh and informed the bench that no further action would be taken by the police.

As a result, the High Court dismissed the petition.

Advocate Jitesh Duhilani, legal assistance counsel granted to Singh, stated the Court that Singh got to know from press reports that the government was giving protection to RSS office based in Nagpur despite it being a ‘unregistered NGO’.

He said that the Deputy Police Commissioner of Nagpur (Special Branch) informed Singh that the concerned branch of the police had been exempted from giving information under the RTI Act, and so the requested information could be supplied.

On December 26, 2021, Singh was summoned by the assistant police inspector (API) Traffic, MIDC, Nagpur city police for an investigation into his RTI application and the recording of his statement.

Singh criticised the notification, adding that if security is provided to a NGO using State funds, citizens have the right to know about it.

After reviewing the notice, the division bench observed that it was issued because Singh was summoned by the police after filing an RTI application.

“Perusal of the notice reveals that the petitioner is summoned for recording of statement because the petitioner submitted an application seeking information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act) in respect of the security provided to the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh,” the order stated.