We demand the unconditional release of Chatradhar Mahato, the leader of People's Movement

We demand the unconditional release of Chatradhar Mahato, the leader of People's Movement
We, the undersigned individuals and various oraganisations register our strong protest against the arrest of Sri Chatradhar Mahato, the spokesperson of PCAPA by the C.I.D. sleuths on 26-09-'09. We demand the immediate the unconditional release of Chatradhar Mahato, the leader of people's movement. We all condemn in no uncertain terms the tactics and the ways that the police arrested him. Because, first, this mode of arrest is absolutely illegal. According to the instruction of the honourable Supreme Court (In D. K. Basu Case), the police is required to wear uniform and put up identity at the time of arrest, to prepare memo of arrest to be duly signed by the arrestee, to give a copy of inspection memo to the arrestee, to inform about grounds of the arrest etc. The last one is also a constitutional right of the arrestee (Article 22). Not only that, the police had consciously violated the newly amended scetion 50A of Criminal Procedure code. Secondly, there is , therefore, no sanction in Indian law to project themselves by the police as belonging to another profession, such as Journalists and raided the area and arrest the citizen, Rather, this act should attract the relevant provision of Indian Penal Code pertaining to the offence of "imposter"
Thirdly, as the media reports, Chatradhar Mahato is accused in 20-22 criminal cases. We have strong reasons to believe that he has been falsely implicated in criminal cases as because he is a man of peoples' struggle and has had no record of such activities . Till June 13, this year, the Election Commissioner of the state and the state government had held a number of discussions with him; during this period, at no point of time, he has been informed, let alone arrest, of existence of such cases against him. As a matter of fact, from 19 June onwards, immediately after the beginning of operation of the joint forces in Lalgarh area, the government had launched this campaign that he is wanted for a number of offences.
It is easily understood that this act of the police at behest of the state government is a clear proof of act of vengeance on the part of the government .In order to punish the leaders of the peoples' movement in Lalgarh, the cases have falsely been framed .
We reiterate our demand that the government instead of pursuing repressive measures, must open up dialogue with PCAPA and before that, must release Chatradhar Mahato unconditionally.
We all also appeal to all journalists as well as all the forums of journalists to stand unite against such unprecedented nefarious misuse jrf and of attempt to assault over the sanctity of media profession and take appropriate legal action against the police.
Mahasweta Devi, Shankha Ghosh, Bibhash ,Tarun Sanyal Kaushik Sen, Joy Goswami, Jaya Mitra, Tarun Naskar, Dilip Chakraborty, Arpita Ghosh, Sukhendu Bhattacharya, Prasun Bhowmik, Abhi Dutta Majumdar, Sujato Bhadra & Others
Organizations:
AWBSRU
FAMA
TASAM
SWAJAN
APDR
Saha Nagarikder Muktamancha
Total Theatre
Utnao-Birbhum
Birhbum Adibasi Gaota
Brihi - Bankura
Loknadi Resource Centre
Mandra Lions Club
Shilpi Sanskritik Karmi Buhijibi Mancha
Sangrami Sramik Sangathan (Struggling Workers' Organisation)
Majdur Kranti Parishad
PDSF
S.E.Z. Birodhi Prachar Mancha
West Bengal Govt. Employees Union (Naba Parjay)
Lalgarh Mancha