HC seeks details of info queries by slain activist

A week after taking cognisance of the murder of Pune-based RTI activist Satish Shetty, the Bombay high court on Thursday directed the state government to submit details of the various RTI applications he had filed, as they might provide a clue to the reason behind his murder.

The court also wanted to be told about the progress made in investigating the murder bid on Nayana Kathpalia, a Mumbai-based social activist and co-convener of CitiSpace, an NGO which aims to protect the city’s open spaces.

The division bench of justices FI Rebello and JH Bhatia directed
advocate general Ravi Kadam to submit the details of RTI applications filed by Shetty within a fortnight.

Shetty, 39, was murdered by unknown assailants on January 13 at Talegaon in Pune while on a morning walk. Kathpalia was attacked early morning on January 8, while she was at her Churchgate home.

As per an earlier directive of the court, the state also submitted an affidavit explaining steps being taken to protect activists, social workers and litigants who are fighting for a cause.

The affidavit filed by the state says that all the police stations  have been directed to follow a procedure for protecting the activists.

“On receipt of such complaints, the duty officer will inform the police station in-charge and register the complaint as an FIR or a non-cognisable offence, depending on circumstances,” the affidavit says.