Chhattisgarh HC notices to home secretary, DGP, collector, SDM

BILASPUR: The Chhattisgarh high court on Monday served notices to home secretary, secretary revenue, DGP, district collector, the then Bilha SDM Arjun Singh Sosodia and others on Monday. The notices were served during the preliminary hearing of death of Congress worker Rajendra Tiwari, who had committed self-immolation in the Bilha SDM office premises in the third week of October 2015.
In his dying declaration Tiwari had alleged that the then Bilha SDM Arjun Singh Sisodia had falsely implicated him in a case and had ordered his arrest under prohibitory orders. He had also alleged that Sisodia was willfully denying him bail in the matter. Later Tiwari’s family had also alleged that Sisodia was harassing Rajendra as he had staged an agitation against Sisodia in connection with death of Jivanlal Manhar, a resident of a nearby village, who had been jailed under prohibitory orders issued by Sisodia.
Manhar too, was denied bail and had died in in mysterious circumstances in jail in middle of October.
Rajendra Tiwari’s family also alleged that Sisodia had been mentally harassing Rajendra, which led to him taking the extreme step in frustration.
On November 16, high court had asked Rajendra Tiwari’s family to file petition in high court following which they filed the same demanding a fair probe into the matter. The petition also alleged that the then Bilha SDM Arjun Singh Sisodia was being given political patronage.
The matter was heard by bench of Justice Prashant Mishra, who served the said notices and has asked the respondents to file their replies within four weeks.