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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | On BJP leader’s hot trail, RTI activist stabbed

On BJP leader’s hot trail, RTI activist stabbed

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published Published on Jun 25, 2011   modified Modified on Jun 25, 2011

-The Indian Express

 

In yet another attack on RTI activists in Gujarat, a Porabnder-based lawyer-cum-RTI activist, Bhagubhai Devani, was grievously stabbed near his home on Friday.

Devani, who suffered severe blood loss from multiple stab wounds, has pointed fingers at the former minister. An FIR has been lodged against six unidentified attackers and the activist has been admitted to the Sir Bhavsinhji Hospital.

The attack came a day after the hearing on a complaint Devani had filed relating to buildings linked to BJP leader and former state irrigation minister Babu Bokhiria. Devani, under his newly formed forum against corruption, the Saurashtra Chamber, had started revealing violations and corruption in many huge constructions coming up in Porbandar, using RTI replies.

The FIR lodged after the incident says Devani was attacked because he raised his voice against illegal constructions, specifically mentioning two buildings. One is an eight-storeyed residential complex coming up within Chaya Nagarpalika and another is a three-star hotel coming up at Chopati. Bokhiria is a partner in the residential complex while the hotel belongs to his close associate Vikram Odedara.

The FIR says the two buildings allegedly flouted rules. While the residential complex had four floors more than the licensed, the hotel was coming up in a no-construction zone near the seashore.

Devani had represented both the cases in Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s Grievances Cell, and also moved the High Court to get the construction on residential complex and hotel stayed. He had also lodged complaints with the union environment ministry in the case of the hotel.

“No names have been mentioned in the FIR as yet. But we hope to get them added during the interrogation,” said Devani’s son Sameer. “But my father has clearly indicated that Babubhai Bokhiria was behind this,” he said.

When The Indian Express contacted Bokhiria, he denied the allegations. “Required permissions have been taken in case of both the buildings. This is political conspiracy against me by the Congress, which is using Devani,” the BJP leader said.

The district collector, who held the initial hearing on Devani’s complaint on Thursday, went on leave on Friday.

The FIR registered with Udhyognagar police in Porbandar said the attack took place around 9.30 this morning. It said Devani was about to leave from his home in Rajivanagar when six men arrived in a silver-coloured Swift car, forced his driver to get down and pulled Devani out of the car. He was stabbed several times on the leg before the assailants fled in their car.

Local crime branch inspector Jaydeep Sarviya, who is probing the case, said, “We have found vital clues and will soon solve the case.’’

This is the second attack on the lawyer. About 15 years ago, he was attacked in similar fashion for leading an anti-liquor and bootlegging drive in Porbandar.

In a late night development, four persons have been arrested in connection with the stabbing of the RTI activist, police said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Ahmedabad-based RTI activists Vinod Pandya, Alpesh Bhavsar, Mahesh Pandya, Kamlesh Bhavsar and Himanshu Banker demanded immediate action against the culprits.

The Indian Express, 25 June, 2011, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/on-bjp-leaders-hot-trail-rti-activist-stabbed/808560/


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