HC orders stay on arrest of 6 accused

RUDRAPUR: The Uttarakhand high court has stayed arrest of six accused in the Dalit bhojanmata case in Champawat district. The court directed the state government to file a counter affidavit within next four weeks.

The single bench of justice RC Khulbe issued the stay order against six accused on Tuesday.

Sanjay Bhatt, the lawyer of the all accused, said: “The court on Tuesday said prima facie, there is no allegation regarding offence punishable under the SC/ST Act because the entire allegation made in an FIR is related to appointment of bhojanmata. Prima facie, this case does not relate to humiliation so no arrest will be made. The court ordered the government to file a counter affidavit within four weeks.”

Sunita Devi, a 32-year-old Dalit woman, had joined as a bhojanmata in the government inter college, Sukhidhang on December 13. From the next day, upper caste students from Class 6 to 8 refused to eat the midday meals cooked by her, allegedly stating that she was from a lower caste. Their refusal to eat midday meals cooked by her sparked a row in the area and an inquiry was set up by the education department.

Sunita was fired from the bhojanmata post by the education department on December 22 allegedly over procedural lapses in her appointment. Later, in retaliation, students belonging to lower castes boycotted the midday meals cooked by upper caste bhojanmata on December 24.

Meanwhile, Sunita handed over a complaint to Chalthi police in Champawat alleging harassment by Deepa Joshi, a BDC member, Narendra Joshi, president, parents-teacher association of GIC, Mahesh Chaurakoti, Babloo Gahtori, Shankar Datt and Satish Chand. Police lodged a case after intervention of state commission for scheduled castes chairman Mukesh Kumar under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Later, the six accused persons approached the high court seeking a stay on their arrest.