Mumbai: CMO clerk lands at RTI activist's door, issues death threats

The office where Santosh Sonawane works as a clerk, (right) CCTV footage of Santosh Sonawane at RTI activist Yogesh Sonawane’s doorstep in December last year

A clerk who works at the Chief Minister's Secretariat office (CMO) in Konkan Bhavan, allegedly threatened to kill an RTI activist who has been pursuing information related to him through RTI. The clerk allegedly reached the house of the activist at Samta Nagar in Kandivli with the help of the address mentioned in the
RTI copy and threatened to kill the activist in front of his family. The activist and his family say they are living in fear because of the threat, and have filed a complaint at the Samta Nagar police station; but the cops instead of filing the FIR have only filed a non-cognisable offence.

Consequently, the activist wrote a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the deputy commissioner revenue officer of the department concerned, demanding suspension, a departmental inquiry and strict action.

Activist Yogesh Sonawane, 37, had sought RTI information about the clerk identified as Santosh Keru Sonawane. Santosh allegedly also holds the position of secretary in Vijay Shree Sahkari Grehnirman Sanstha Limited society in Ghatkopar.

Speaking to mid-day, Yogesh Sonawane said, "One of my relatives lives there as his building has gone for redevelopment. Most of the members have left and are living in other places on rent. The developer has constructed only four to five floors, and the work stopped owing to a dispute among the society members. The agreement made between the society members and the developer in 2009 was that each flat owner was supposed to receive a flat area of 495 square feet. However, after Santosh's interference and collusion with the developer, the agreement was changed, and according to the new one, only 472 square feet was to be given to each tenant. Therefore, there is suspicion that Santosh either made some hidden agreement or took money by colluding with the developer and by pretending to be the secretary at the deputy chief minister's office. It is necessary to investigate this."

Society that has gone under redevelopment

He added, "As a government employee working in the secretariat of the deputy chief minister and also serving as a secretary in a private society, has Santosh obtained the necessary consent from the department? I sought this information through RTI from the department concerned on November 20 last year. On December 3, Santosh suddenly came to my house in Samta Nagar along with Popat Shankar Gaikwad, a member of the society, and showed me a copy of my RTI. He asked me why I had filed the RTI and what I hoped to gain from this. He threatened to have me killed by goons if I did not withdraw the petition. Other members of my family were present, and everyone was scared of his threat. I assert that the Constitution has given me the right to obtain information under RTI. Can any officer from whom I have sought information come to the house of the person seeking information and threaten me like this?"

According to Yogesh, "The person working in the [tapal] department of the CMO has violated departmental confidentiality by giving a copy of my RTI to Santosh. This should be investigated by the department, and the culprits should face action for this."

"In this context, I have sent a written complaint to the Chief Minister's Secretariat Room Officer Vivek Gaikwad and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding action against Santosh and others but no action has been taken against him till now. My family is afraid that something might happen to me. If anything happens to me and my family, if someone attacks us, Santosh will be responsible for it," he added.

Allegation false

"The allegation is false. I did not make any threat. They filed a false RTI and requested information regarding the society. We simply inquired about the purpose of the RTI. Our matter has been settled with the Samta Nagar police, and the issue is now closed," said Santosh.

However, when the reporter informed Santosh that the RTI was not related to society but to him, he disconnected the phone call. He did not answer several calls made afterwards. Messages, too, remained unanswered.

Dec 3
Day Santosh reached Yogesh's house to threaten him

2009
Year agreement was made between society member and developer