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To,
Shri Syed Sibtey Razi,
The Hon'ble Governor of Jharkhand
Fax: 0651-220110
Dear Sir,
We condemn the arrest of Bhukhan Singh and Niyamat Ansari in Manika, Latehar District, based on the false charges of harassing forest officials on 3 February 2009.
This seems to us to be a case of harassment of social activists who are working sincerely for better implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Both Bhukhan and Niyamat were in Latehar on 3rd February 2009 when the FIR alleges that they were in Jerua Gram Panchayat. They were working with a team of volunteers who were helping with preparations for the .Lok Adalat. to be held there on 7 February. Written testimonies to this effect are available from three members of the team - Sunil Kumar, Kartika Bhatia and Jean Dreze.
We urge the Forest Department to drop the false charges and call for the immediate release of Bhukhan and Niyamat. We stand in solidarity with them and demand an immediate impartial enquiry.
In Solidarity,
CC:
Shri VD Ram
DGP Jharkhand (Fax: 0651-2400 738)
Shri Sukhdev Singh
Secretary (Fax: 0651-2490133)
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