PUCL protest Raj govt's decision in Christian Preacher attack case

Jaipur, Apr 20 (UNI) People's Union for Civil Liberties(PUCL) has protested against the Rajasthan Government's denial of prosecution of the accused in a case of attack on a Christian Preacher.

Talking to reporters here today, PUCL State President Prem Krishna Sharma said a case under sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 452, 427, 295(A), 153(A) and 505 was registered against 14 activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP) in connection with the attack on Father Walter Messey here on April 29 last year.

Mr Sharma said the case under sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 452 and 427 IPC had already been filed by the Sodala Jaipur police before the trial court and the filing of chargesheet under sections 295(A), 153(A) and 505 of IPC was referred to the state government for its permission.

The section 295(A),153(A) and 505 are related to deliberate malicious acts intended to outrage religious sentiments of a group, causing enmity between two different groups and making mischievous statements and prosecution under these sections required prior permission from the state government, Mr Sharma said.

However, the state government in its letter dated November 14, 2007, had denied permission for filing of chargesheet under the above three sections, Mr Sharma said.

He said by denying the permission for prosecution under above sections, the BJP-led state government had protected the accused VHP activists and PUCL would see to it that the accused were brought to the book and justice delivered to victim Father Walter Messey.

Accordingly, PUCL would meet Governor Shailendra Kumar Singh to seek his intervention and would also file petition before the Rajasthan High Court seeking directives to the police for filing chargesheet under the above three sections.

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