Seeking police verification of a sweeper employed at a temple under RTI
30 Oct, 2012Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Delhi Police seeking details regarding police verification of a sweeper employed in the Sanatan Dharam Mandir, Nehru Nagar. He also asked the PIO for information regarding the action taken on a complaint filed by a lady for theft of utensils from the Mandir. The Public Information Officer (PIO) informed that the police verification has been carried out about the sweeper and at that time he was residing in the Nehru Nagar Jhuggies.
Proceeding
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the respondent submitted that the management of the temple which earlier was with the appellant is now in the hands of others and the present employer of the said temple provided voter ID card to the sweeper and on the same grounds the police verification was carried out. The respondent also stated that appellant seems to be questioning the nature of police verification that has been carried out by the police which did not fall within the ambit of information as defined under section 2(f) “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; of the RTI Act. Regarding the complaint filed by the lady regarding theft of utensils from the temple the respondent submitted that the police enquiry has been carried out into the complaint and no case of theft was established. The appellant submitted that it was a case of theft since the locks had been tampered with. The appellant complained about the nature of enquiry carried out by the local police.
View of CIC
The Commission observed that the RTI Act is not the forum for redressal of grievances. The appellant is advised that he may take up the matter with the competent authority for redressal of his grievance. The PIO was directed to provide a copy of the enquiry report to the appellant.
Citation: Mr. Achidanand Jha v. Delhi Police in Case No. CIC/SS/A/2012/001065
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2012/CIC/762
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission