Govt forms 2 committees for withdrawal of politically motivated cases
The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a circular in this regard today (22 September)
The government has formed two committees at the district and ministry levels to recommend the withdrawal of harassment cases filed against political leaders, activists, and innocent individuals for political vendetta or other reasons.
The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a circular in this regard today (22 September).
According to the circular, the district-level committee is chaired by the district magistrate, with the superintendent of police (deputy commissioner of police in metropolitan areas) and the public prosecutor (metropolitan public prosecutor for cases in metropolitan areas) as members.
The additional district magistrate serves as the member-secretary of the committee.
Additionally, the ministry-level committee is chaired by the Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs adviser.
Its members include the senior secretary, additional secretary (law and order), and joint secretary (law) from the Public Security Division, along with a representative from the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs (not below the rank of joint secretary).
The committee's member-secretary is the deputy secretary, senior assistant secretary, or assistant secretary of the Public Security Division's Law-1 Branch, the circular added.
The district-level committee will submit recommendations for withdrawing politically motivated cases to the district magistrate by 31 December. The magistrate will then forward these recommendations to the public prosecutor or metropolitan public prosecutor within seven business days for their legal opinion.
The public prosecutor must return their opinion to the district magistrate within 15 working days.
Upon receiving the opinion, the district magistrate will present the application to the district committee within 7 working days.
The district magistrate will then send the recommendation to government, along with the FIR, charge sheet, and necessary information, to the Ministry of Home Affairs within 45 working days, following a specified format.
Later, the ministry-level committee will review the recommendations from the district committees, identify cases eligible for withdrawal, and prepare a list accordingly.
The circular further stated that cases falling under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004 cannot be withdrawn without a written directive from the commission, as per Section 10 (4) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1958.
"These cases will be flagged and listed separately, with further actions to be determined at a later stage."