SP leader for eviction of judge who issued summons to MSY
Even as the issue of threat-call by Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Mulayam Singh Yadav to an IPS officer is far from over, a district level party leader in Mahoba is allegedly forcing civil Judge Ankit Goel out of a rented accommodation.
Ankit Goel, civil judge at the civil court (junior division), taking suo moto cognizance of media reports regarding alleged gang rape remarks by Mulayam, had on August 21 issued summons to the latter asking him to appear before the court on September 16.
The audio recording of the threat call, purportedly by Samajwadi Party Yuvjan Sabha district president Bhagirathi Yadav, to Ankit Goel’s landlord Sunil Kumar Agarwal is going viral since Monday afternoon on Whatsapp and social media.
Hindustan Times spoke to Agarwal over phone. He said: “I got a call around 9.30 pm on the same night (the day when the summons was issued). I have not asked the judge to vacate my premises yet, but have informed him in writing about the phone call. He may be the judge, but here I am landlord. I will have to issue him a notice to get the house vacated. I had no problem with the judge otherwise. I have been getting the rent directly through the treasury. He has been my tenant since last 13 months.”
In the 29 seconds long audio clip the caller identifies himself as Bhagirathi Yadav. The caller first asked “Judge kahan hai (where is the judge)?”. Agarwal says: “Ghar pe hai (he is at home)”. The caller again asks: “Tumharey (yours)?”; Agarwal says: “Yes. He lives here”. The caller finally says twice: “Kal khali kara dena (evict him tomorrow)”. Agarwal says: “OK”.
I have not intimated the police yet, but have informed the judge about the call, says Agarwal who is a Mahoba trader and lives in Kulpahad. Agarwal and Goel live on the same premises.
Mulayam had recently courted controversy by saying in Lucknow that “a rape by four people was not practically possible.” In his order Goel said prima facie the statement appears to be insulting, provocative and against the dignity of women.
In his five-page order, the judge has cited the Nirbhaya gang rape case and said such objectionable statement not only denigrates and paints a wrong image of women but also hurts the sentiments of family members of rape victims. The judge has issued summons under sections 3 and 4 of Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1956 and under IPC sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 116 (abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment).
The judge said that he was taking suo motu cognizance of media reports (both print and electronic) in the matter.
The SP chief had similarly sparked outrage last year also when he had described rapists as boys who make “mistakes.”