Police file case against activist, then withdraw

MEERUT: The Uttar Pradesh police have withdrawn a case filed against anti-corruption activist Master Vijay Singh for “drying his undergarments” on the premises of Muzaffarnagar district magistrate’s office under Indian Penal Code’s Section 509, which pertains “to a word gesture or act intended to insult a woman’s modesty”.

Station house officer Samaypal Atri said the case was filed after Singh was evicted from the premises on Wednesday last. Singh had been on a sit-in protest on the premises against corruption for the past 24 years.

Atri said the case was withdrawn on Saturday after Singh’s fellow protestor, Krishanpal, gave a written affidavit to the police saying the undergarments belonged to him. He apologised in the affidavit and requested that the case be expunged against Singh.

“After examining the affidavit of Krishanpal, the case has been expunged,” said Atri.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) protested against the case filed against Singh. BKU’s state spokesperson Dharmendra Malik said the state government makes tall claims about zero tolerance against corruption and land mafias. “...on the other hand, a schoolteacher, who has been peacefully protesting against land mafias and corruption, is being harassed.”

Singh, who has made it to the Guinness and Limca Books of Records as the longest single protester, has been protesting against 1,600 acres of public land illegally occupied by land mafia in his village Chausana in Shamli district.