Tribal activists meet CM, demand enquiry into allegations of IAS officer

Members of Shramjeevi Sanghatana, founded by former Vasai MLA Vivek Pandit, met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday at Vidhan Bhavan and requested him to ask Nidhi Choudhari, CEO of Palghar Zilla Parishad, to take back her complaint against Pandit and 37 tribals for allegedly confining her and harassing her in her office at the Palghar administrative headquarters on Monday for three hours.

The delegation demanded an inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, Choudhari will be on leave from Saturday (today) for a week.

The Palghar police had arrested 38 people on Friday, who have been remanded to judicial custody and sent to Thane Central Jail.

Choudhari was allegedly confined in her office at Palghar's administrative headquarters on Monday for three hours and harassed by more than fifty tribals, activists and former Vasai MLA and founder of Shramjeevi Sanghatan, Vivek Pandit.

Balaram Bhoir, Secretary, Shramjeevi Sanghatna, said, "We met the CM and demanded the immediate release of all 37 arrested. We will be protesting against the arrest of our leader Vivek Pandit outside the Thane Collectorate office until he is released."

A team of tribal activists on Saturday visited the CEO's office in Palghar and gave a representation letter to Prashant Kahu, who is holding temporary charge as CEO.