An editor of a local daily has moved a court seeking action against a Congress leader for allegedly threatening to burn him alive for publishing reports about unauthorised constructions in west Delhi, says a Press Trust of India report.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate PK Jain, after hearing his plea on Saturday last, fixed November 19 as the next date for hearing when the journalist will be placing evidence against Ram Maggo, Secretary, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. [Link]
In his complaint filed through counsel Amit Kumar, the editor, Lalit Suman, alleged that the Congress leader, along with a group of builders threatened him on September 29 over the issue of publishing news reports regarding unauthorised constructions in the area. "The accused misbehaved with him and threatened to burn him alive, if he did not stop publishing news reports in this regard," the complaint filed by the journalist's lawyer said.
Suman said that he was publishing news reports about illegal and unauthorised constructions being carried out in Mansarover Garden and Kirti Nagar in west Zone prompting the Deputy Commissioner, Brig Rajender Singh, to start a demolition drive in the area. The action on the part of the authorities had angered the local builders who, along with the leader, started threatening the journalist as well as his family members, the complaint alleged.
Suman has sought action against the leader under Section 506 for criminal intimidation and Section 500 for defamation under the Indian Penal Code.
