Priyanka Gandhi seeks probe into RSS worker's 'suicide'; Sangh denies allegations
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has demanded a full investigation into the suspected suicide of a RSS worker in Kerala, who, according to her, had made sexual abuse allegations against members of the organisation in his purported suicide note.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) denied the allegation and filed a petition to the police on Monday seeking a detailed probe into the death of the 26 year-old techie and the conspiracy to defame the organisation.
The police also have not named the RSS or its members in the FIR, nor has the deceased's family lodged a complaint against them so far.
Anandu Aji a software engineer, hailed from Thampalakkad in Kottayam district. He was found dead at a lodge in Thampanoor here on October 9.
"Anandu Aji alleged that he was abused again and again by multiple members of the RSS," Priyanka wrote on her 'X' handle.
Several pro-Sangh Parivar social media accounts have questioned the authenticity of the claims attributed to Aji.
According to Vadra, the Wayanad MP, Aji had clearly stated that he was not the only victim and that rampant sexual abuse was taking place in RSS camps.
"If true, this is horrifying. Lakhs of young children and teenagers attend these camps all over India. The leadership of the RSS must take immediate action and come clean," she said.
Priyanka added that sexual abuse of boys was as pervasive as that of girls. "The code of silence around these unspeakably heinous crimes has to be broken," she said.
Aji, who was an RSS activist, belonged to a family associated with the organisation. A day after his death, a scheduled post appeared on his Instagram account in which he held the RSS responsible for his death.
The post contained a 15-page letter, purportedly written by Aji, in which he accused a man named N M — reportedly close to his family — of sexually abusing him from a young age.
He also alleged sexual harassment during RSS camps by other people in the organisation without taking their names.
In the note, Aji said he had been diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) due to the trauma of sexual abuse and claimed that several others within the RSS had similar experiences.
RSS Kottayam Vibhag Karyavah R Sanu on Monday submitted a petition to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kanjirappally, seeking a probe into the death of Anandu Aji.
In the petition, Sanu stated that the allegations against the RSS were false, concocted, and devoid of any factual foundation.
"The RSS, being a patriotic socio-cultural organisation committed to the service of the nation, has absolutely no connection whatsoever with the tragic death of Anandu Aji," the petition said.
The RSS claimed that there was a deliberate and malicious attempt to implicate the organisation in the unfortunate incident, possibly as part of a larger conspiracy to malign and discredit its image in the public domain.
It further requested that the State Police be directed to investigate the authenticity and timing of the Instagram post.
"An independent and transparent probe will not only help bring out the truth behind the unfortunate death of Aji but will also ensure that innocent and reputed organisations like the RSS are not falsely dragged into controversies for ulterior motives," the petition stated.
Meanwhile, when asked about the case during a press conference, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said he had read reports about the incident and that necessary legal steps would be taken.
"In Kerala, legal steps are taken appropriately, and naturally, action will follow," he said.
Thampanoor police have registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation.
Police said Aji' family has not lodged a complaint yet.
"We are examining the Instagram post and verifying its authenticity. We are also probing whether anyone abetted the suicide," a senior officer said.
The police plan to record the statements of Aji's mother and sister. His father had passed away in an accident a few years ago.
"The family might raise their concerns when their statement is recorded, and further action will be taken accordingly," the officer added.
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Court can reject anticipatory bail but cannot direct accused to surrender: SC
New Delhi (PTI): A court can reject anticipatory bail of an accused but it has no jurisdiction to direct him to surrender before the trial court, the Supreme Court has said.
A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan made the observation while hearing a plea filed by a man accused of cheating and forgery.
"If the court wants to reject the anticipatory bail, it may do so, but the court has no jurisdiction to say that the petitioner should now surrender," the bench said.
The Jharkhand High Court had rejected anticipatory bail plea of the accused and asked him to surrender and seek regular bail.
In this case, a complaint had been filed before a magistrate alleging offences under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged document) and 120B read with 34 of the IPC, in connection with a land dispute.
The high court had dismissed the second anticipatory bail application of the accused on the ground that no new circumstances were shown.
It had relied on its earlier order rejecting his first anticipatory bail plea, in which the court directed the petitioner to surrender before the trial court and seek regular bail in terms of the decision in Satender Kumar Antil v. CBI.
The top court said such a direction was wholly without jurisdiction and said that if a court chooses to reject anticipatory bail, it may do so, but it cannot compel the accused to surrender.
