Intimidation tactics of West Bengal cop: Seeking bribery to let go alleged smuggling charge

By Our Representative

Kirity Roy, Secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), has brought to the attention of the Director General and Inspector General of Police in West Bengal a troubling situation involving Saddam Hossain, the son of Chabed Ali Miyan from Cooch Behar district. Hossain, who has lived a law-abiding life for the past nine years after leaving behind illegal activities in 2015, is reportedly facing harassment and extortion from local police officials.

On September 9, 2024, a team of police officers led by a Sub-Inspector visited Hossain's residence, intimidating his family and demanding bribes. During a subsequent meeting, the Sub-Inspector allegedly extorted ₹1 lakh per month from Hossain for smuggling operations and threatened to falsely charge him with drug-related offenses should he refuse.

Despite Hossain's claims of innocence and his disassociation from smuggling, the Sub-Inspector persisted with threats, even demanding names of others engaged in illegal activities. These threats also extended to Hossain's family, including his elder brother, Najrul Haque, who received similar intimidation tactics on September 11, 2024.

Hossain and his family have gathered evidence in the form of CCTV footage and phone call recordings that capture the threats made by the police officer. However, despite reporting the incident, no action has been taken by local authorities to address the allegations. This situation raises serious concerns regarding the violation of Hossain and his family’s rights to life, dignity, and equal protection under the law, highlighting the misuse of power by law enforcement against citizens who abide by the law.

Roy emphasized that the actions of the Sub-Inspector violate Rule 33(b) of the Police Regulation of Bengal 1943, as well as international human rights standards, including Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the United Nations General Assembly's Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials.

In light of these egregious acts, Roy urged authorities to intervene urgently with the following actions:

- An independent and impartial investigation into the entire matter.

- Registration of Saddam Hossain’s complaint as a First Information Report (FIR) and initiation of a criminal investigation against the Sub-Inspector and any accomplices, carried out by an agency other than the Cooch Behar police.

- The arrest and prosecution of the offending police personnel in a court of law for their abuse of power and attempted extortion.

- Provision of adequate protection and compensation for Hossain and his family to safeguard them from further harassment.

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Outreach programme in medical education: Band-aids for compound fractures

By Amitav Banerjee, MD* Recently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) of India, introduced two curricular changes in medical education, both at the undergraduate and the postgraduate levels, ostensibly to offer opportunities for quality medical education and to improve health care accessibility among the underserved rural and urban population.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Four J&K MLAs visit Wular lake, pledge support to fisher community, environmental conservation

By Shamim Ahmed* In a historic meeting that highlighted both environmental and social concerns, four Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) visited Wular Lake to meet with the fisherfolk community, signaling a significant step in addressing their longstanding issues. This gathering, organized with the support of dedicated advocates, marks a strengthening of efforts to both safeguard the lake’s ecosystem and support the community’s welfare.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Search This Blog