As per news reports, Rajan was arrested by Indian agencies in Bali, Indonesia, and brought to the city last November. Among other charges, the Prevention of Corruption Act was slapped on him and a government officer for providing the gangster a fake passport.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has declined to provide the First Information Report (FIR) on the arrest of underworld don Chhota Rajan under the RTI Act. Delhi-based activist Venkatesh Nayak had filed an application seeking a copy of his FIR.
As per news reports, Rajan was arrested by Indian agencies in Bali, Indonesia, and brought to the city last November. Among other charges, the Prevention of Corruption Act was slapped on him and a government officer for providing the gangster a fake passport.
Fearing that it (FIR copy) would be denied on the pretext that the CBI is excluded from the RTI Act, Nayak had cited provisions of the same exemption clause which state that information cannot be denied if it pertains to human rights violation or corruption charges.
However, the central public information officer cited a circular of the Department of Personnel and Training that puts the agency in the Act's exemption list.
"In this case, the media reports stated that there were charges of corruption. The CBI too has filed a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. This shows that it acknowledges there is corruption. Also, I think that the denials are unreasonable and action is not legitimate or justifiable under the RTI Act by the agency. There seems to be something fishy in the entire thing," said Nayak, who is programme co-ordinator of Access to Information Programme of the Common Wealth Human Rights Initiative.
Nayak had earlier sought details of his passport that were denied too. Back then, the ministry of external affairs had refused on the ground that it was a matter of an individual's right to privacy.
"In the 11th year of the implementation of the RTI Act, it is important to test the limits of the law in addition to seeking other kinds of routine information about governance. Even such information about routine matters is increasingly difficult to obtain in many jurisdictions. It would help if readers would also seek information of this kind in large numbers. When more and more people seek information of this nature, public interest in the matter would be evidenced in a big way, making it difficult for the public authorities to deny access to such information," said Nayak.
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