Mumbai
24th September, 2013
For issuing a slanderous circular against Girls Islamic Organisaition- GIO, its Patron Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Maharashtra- JIH, has filed a defamation suit in Bombay High Court of Rs.10 Crore against the Mumbai Police.
Engineer Taufique Aslam Khan, President of JIH said, “We waited for the inquiry report as promised by Mr. Naval Bajaj, Additional Commissioner, even send a letter asking about the inquiry but got no reply.” We are left with no option but to file a defamation suit against the Mumbai Police. They, even, did not bother to reply to our letter asking about the inquiry. He added.
It is not only the release but the content and the text of the circular is unconstitutional, Taufique Aslam Khan said. “If preaching of a religion, which is guaranteed under our constitution, creates suspicion than every devout Hindu, Muslim Christians will be a suspect. Its dangers for a plural society like us” he added.
Instead of protecting the citizens of India, Mumbai police, is found guilty of issuing defamatory circulars and statements thus, violated the article 14 of our constitution that guarantees equality before the law. Asalm Gazi, Secretary of JIH and a Petitioner said, “GIO have been, explicitly and in effect, branded as terrorists by the Mumbai Police without any basis for such a serious charge. Such arbitrary actions are in clear violation of the mandate of Article 14 of the Constitution.”
Different agencies pass the bucks to other when found guilty. In this case Mr. Bajaj said that they just pass on the information they got from other agency without any verification.
Aslam Gazi referred to the statement of Intelligence Bureau- IB stand in Ishrat Jahan encounter case, where IB said that when it receives information, it passes it on to the concerned law enforcement agency; it is the duty of such agency to verify the same before acting on it.
He said, Mr.Bajaj accepted as report that they find nothing incriminatory against the GIO. Its therefore necessary to compensate for the damages done.
Citing a secret circular issued by Mumbai Police, Samna, a Marathi newspaper published on 30th March 2013, which was later followed up by other newspapers, a report that Girls Islamic Organisation –GIO is making Muslim Women Terrorist. After which Mr. Naval Bajaj, Additional Commissioner Special Branch, the signatory of the circular, apologized for the leak of internal circular. He assured for an enquiry and punishment to the guilty.
Government of India, and the state Government of Maharashtra, Union and State Ministry of Home Affairs, Director General Intelligence Bureau, DGP of Maharashtra were also made respondent of the petition.
