Attempts to invade Majithia’s privacy in jail: SAD to guv

Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday appealed to Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria to "pass necessary directions to ensure protection of former minister Bikram Singh Majithia's life".The party stated that it did not have any faith in the Aam Aadmi Party govt or the Punjab DGP in taking effective steps to safeguard the senior Akali leader.In a representation to the governor at the Raj Bhawan here, senior SAD leaders, while appraising the former about "the grave threat" to Majithia's life, also alleged "the violation of the leader's fundamental rights, as well as misconduct being done unto him at the behest of the AAP govt".The senior SAD leaders – Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Daljit Singh Cheema, Majithia's wife and Majitha MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia, advocate Arshdeep Singh Kler, and Damanbir Singh Sobti – said: "Nothing concrete was being done to safeguard the life of Majithia and that of his family members, despite the directions of the high court following central intelligence inputs that he was likely to be targeted for elimination by the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)."The SAD leaders said: "As an eye wash, and to violate the Akali leader's fundamental rights further, cameras were being installed in the prison cell in the Nabha jail in which he was housed."Asserting that there was no need for these additional cameras, as multiple cameras were already installed to watch every movement of Majithia, they said: "Attempts were being made to install a camera facing towards the washroom and toilet of Majithia with the intention of recording him undressed or underdressed and without his turban or ‘parna'.""This is being done to invade the Akali leader's privacy and cause hurt to his religious sentiments," they added.The Akali Dal leaders further said: "The attempt to compromise Majithia's safety started on March 29 when, at the behest of CM Bhagwant Mann and the ADGP (Security), the Akali leader's security was arbitrarily and illegally withdrawn despite being a ‘Z plus' protectee. When Majithia approached the high court in this context, DGP Gaurav Yadav filed a false affidavit stating there was no threat to the life of the leader from any terrorist outfit or gangsters."The representation stated: "On Jan 1 this year, two DIGs visited Majithia in jail and informed him that they received inputs that he would be targeted inside the jail premises by the BKI. When the jail superintendent remained silent on the issue despite being asked, Majithia informed the chief judicial magistrate about the danger to his life. Majithia's counsel was not given details with respect to the intelligence inputs on threat perception of the senior leader.""Shockingly, the intelligence inputs were circulated in the media in the same manner in which gangsters became aware of the withdrawal of security cover to Sidhu Moose Wala," claimed the SAD leaders.It was also alleged that during Ganieve Kaur Majithia's visit to the Nabha jail on Jan 15 to meet her husband, "cameras were installed to view the meeting". The representation noted: "There is a grave apprehension that the cameras have mikes."The leaders submitted that they did not have faith in the state govt or the DGP, and if any loss was caused to Majithia, then "it should be attributed to the tacit collusion of the CM and DGP Gaurav Yadav".MSID:: 126586305 413 |