Ashish Khetan moves SC for security

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashish Khetan on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking protection alleging that he is being constantly threatened by the Right-wing organisations like Sanatan Sansthan, Abhinav Bharat and Hindu Jan Jagran Samiti.

In his writ petition, Mr Khetan, who is the vice-chairman of Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi, has sought a ban on right-wing organisations and a CBI probe monitored by the apex court into the alleged death threats.

He has written extensively against these organisation and anti-national forces for undermining our constitutional democracy and freedom. He said he first received an anonymous letter in July 2016 threatening of dire consequences for allegedly defaming Sanatan. Again on May 9 he received another letter which said he would soon be killed.    

He said he had complained to the police but no action had been taken so far. Mr Khetan said that the language and content of the May 9 letter is similar to the threatening articles published by Sanatan Prabhat against RTI activist Narendra Dabholkar, both before and after he was killed. Pansare and Kalaburgi were also threatened and then they were murdered. The letter states that he should be killed for his sins.

Mr Khetan, a former journalist, claimed that he has written several investigative articles against right-wing radical organisations and has diposed in several Gujarat riot cases which were considered by courts.

The petitioner informed the court that he addressed a letter to Union home minister Rajnath Singh on May 13 with a copy to the Delhi police commissioner stating that both the killers of Dr Dabholkar and Pansare were yet to be apprehended. He also drew his attention that the prime accused for Malegaon, Mecca Masjid and Samjahauta express bomb blasts is absconding for the last 10 years, while the parent organisations to which the accused belong are gaining prominence. He also wrote a letter to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, but no action has been taken.

“In view of all these circumstances, the petitioner faces a grave threat to his life and liberty from radical right-wing organisations and their members who are wanted in various crimes and are still at large,” it said.