Prominent activists, lawyers condemn harassment of human rights advocate Nadeem Khan
New Delhi: A coalition of researchers, politicians, and senior Supreme Court lawyers convened at the Press Club of India on Tuesday to denounce the “harassment” of prominent human rights activist Nadeem Khan. The gathering expressed strong disapproval of the recent actions against Khan, who serves as the national general secretary of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR).
Khan was allegedly “illegally detained” by the Delhi Police for nearly six hours in Bengaluru on Saturday, according to a statement released by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). This incident followed the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against him on allegations of promoting enmity through a video highlighting hate crimes in India.
The Delhi High Court, however, has extended interim protection to Khan, barring his arrest until Friday. The court noted that the country’s unity was “not so fragile” as to be threatened by such actions.
Tuesday’s event, held to protest the FIR and Khan’s detention, was moderated by writer and activist Farah Naqvi. A panel of distinguished figures, including Supreme Court lawyers Sanjay Hegde, Prashant Bhushan, and Nizam Pasha; Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha; former Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed; and Kavita Srivastava from PUCL, voiced their concerns over the alleged targeting of Khan.
Naqvi emphasized that the issue extends beyond Khan and APCR, representing a broader attempt to criminalize fundamental democratic rights. “This is not just about Nadeem or APCR. This case is about delegitimizing our basic rights as citizens,” she remarked. Naqvi also criticized the selective targeting of individuals speaking against injustices, saying, “It appears that only people with ‘certain names’ can raise issues like lynching and bulldozer injustice, while others face criminalisation.”
The PUCL, in its statement, alleged that Khan faced “coercion and intimidation” by Delhi Police officers who arrived at his residence in Bengaluru on November 30 without a warrant. According to the organisation, four officers, including the Shaheen Bagh police station’s Station House Officer (SHO), pressured Khan to travel to Delhi for questioning related to the FIR.
Supreme Court lawyer Nizam Pasha said, “The police first visited his house before the FIR was filed, and just hours later, they were in Bengaluru to arrest him. This raises serious questions about the intent and timing.”
The FIR against Khan was lodged under sections 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), 196 (promoting enmity between groups), and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). It pertained to a video titled ‘Records of Hindustan in Modi Sarkar’ that documented hate crimes in India.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan defended Khan’s efforts to document and address hate crimes, asserting that raising awareness about such issues is a civic responsibility, not a criminal act. He commended APCR for its effective work in protecting civil rights and criticized the pattern of filing FIRs against activists like Khan and Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair while perpetrators of hate crimes remain largely unchecked.
Sanjay Hegde also recounted Khan’s impactful interventions, highlighting his role in seeking justice for victims of communal violence. Referring to the case of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was lynched in Uttar Pradesh in 2018, Hegde said, “Khan brought Singh’s widow to my house, which eventually led to a Supreme Court petition that canceled the bail of the accused. They are now in jail, awaiting trial.”
Kavita Srivastava from PUCL described the FIR as part of a disturbing trend where activists addressing systemic injustices are targeted. “This is about criminalizing advocacy and delegitimizing human rights work,” she said.
As Khan awaits further legal proceedings, the Delhi High Court’s interim protection offers temporary relief.
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Rape-accused 'godman' Kharat sent to judicial custody till April 14
Nashik (PTI): A court in Maharashtra's Nashik on Wednesday remanded rape-accused self-styled godman Ashok Kharat in a 14-day judicial custody.
Kharat was arrested on March 18 after a 35-year-old woman accused him of repeated rape over a period of three years. Following his arrest, multiple rape complaints were filed against him.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is conducting a probe against Kharat.
As his police custody ended on Wednesday, he was produced before the court. During the hearing, the SIT sought his judicial custody.
Accordingly, sessions judge B N Ichpurani remanded Kharat in judicial custody till April 14. He will be sent to Nashik Road Central Jail.
Kharat is scheduled to be produced in a court in another case on Thursday.
At least 10 FIRs, eight for alleged sexual assault or exploitation and two for cheating, have been registered against Kharat at Sarkarwada police station in Nashik, while the SIT has received more than 100 complaints over the phone against him.
On Wednesday, an SIT team detained Kharat's son Harshvardhan for questioning from their residence in Karmayogi Nagar here. He was let off at night.
The investigators are also trying to trace Kharat's wife Kalpana in connection with the probe against her husband. She is also named in a cheating case in Ahilyanagar district.
'Godman' Kharat heads a temple trust at Sinnar in Nashik and had several political leaders visit him over the years.
Last week, the SIT visited Kharat's office in Nashik along with a forensic science team, from where they recovered several documents, files and other evidence.
Notably, a 20-feet remote-controlled mechanised snake was also seized from his office. Kharat allegedly used the snake to make his visitors believe that he could control a live snake and thus possessed supernatural powers.
