Jharkhand Govt To Drop Sedition Charges Against 3,000 Anti-CAA Protesters

Newly elected Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, on Wednesday, January 8, took to Twitter to announce that steps were being taken to drop the sedition charges against 3,000 people for protesting against CAA in Wasseypur area on Tuesday.

“Laws are not made to frighten and silence the people but to instil a feeling of safety in the public. My government will work towards being the voice of the people. We have recommended taking back the sedition cases registered against 3,000 people and also asked for action against the concerned official,” tweeted the Jharkhand CM.

क़ानून जनता को डराने एवं उनकी आवाज़ दबाने के लिए नहीं बल्कि आम जन-मानस में सुरक्षा का भाव उत्पन्न करने को होता है।

मेरे नेतृत्व में चल रही सरकार में क़ानून जनता की आवाज़ को बुलंद करने का कार्य करेगी।

धनबाद में 3000 लोगों पर लगाए गए राजद्रोह की धारा को अविलंब निरस्त करने के 1/2 pic.twitter.com/Y0PMT84Vra

— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) January 8, 2020

साथ साथ दोषी अधिकारी के ख़िलाफ़ समुचित करवाई की अनुशंसा कर दी गयी है।

साथ ही मैं झारखंड के सभी भाइयों/बहनों से अपील करना चाहूँगा की राज्य आपका है, यहाँ के क़ानून व्यस्था का सम्मान करना हमारा कर्तव्य है। 2/2

— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) January 8, 2020

However, he also urged the people in the state to abide by the law and order. He attached a picture of a letter asking for action against the guilty official and scrapping of the sedition cases.

What Happened On Tuesday?

On January 7, around 3,000 unidentified people along with 7 named persons in Dhanbad were booked under Sections 143, 145, 149, 186, 188, 290, 291, 336, 153A, 153A, 153B and 124A of IPC in the FIR.

The FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the circle officer, Prashant Kumar Laiq, on Tuesday against thousands of protesters who allegedly blocked a road without permission and raised slogans hurting religious sentiments.

“The local police registered an FIR against seven named and three thousand unnamed protesters for allegedly blocking traffic, creating chaos and shouting anti-government slogans, and organising a protest without permission,” reported The Wire.

According to Live Law, the Superintendent of Police wrote a letter to the concerned officer, instructing him to send a correction letter before the court to obliterate Section 124A C from the FIR.

The SP also issued a notice to Dhanbad SHO seeking an explanation within the next three days.

“Inclusion of Section 124A in the impugned FIR seemingly has no justification. It appears that the FIR was registered without due application of mind, reflecting your careless attitude and incompetence as an officer,” the notice read.

Also Read: Cases Of Sedition Against 10,000 Adivasis Withdrawn By Hemant Soren As He Took Oath As Jharkhand CM