Maharashtra National Commission for ST issue arrest warrant against Chandrapur district collector

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has asked the Maharashtra director general of police to arrest Chandrapur district collector and ensure his presence before its court by March 2.

Chandrapur: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has issued an arrest warrant against district collector Vinay Gowda for not appearing before it in connection with a tribal land case.

The commission had summoned the district collector for a hearing in connection with a land case of the tribals but Gowda had not responded to the summon. Instead of appearing at the hearing himself, he had sent his representative.

The arrest warrant has raised a lot of excitement in the bureaucratic circle and left Gowda in trouble.

Earlier, social activist Vinod Khobragade had complained against the administration of injustice towards the tribals. He had lodged a complaint with the commission in the land case of the tribals of Kusumbi village in Jivati taluka, which is located in the district. In this connection, Khobragade had also filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the district collector before the commission.

Following which, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Tribes had ordered Gowda to appear before it on February 16. However, Gowda will not appear for it and deputy collector Trupti Suryavanshi appeared at his place.

Thus, the commission ordered the Director General of Police to arrest Gowda and ensure his presence before the commission's court before by March 2.

In a similar case last month, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes of Punjab had issued arrest warrant against an IAS officer and had ordered the director general of police to arrest the officer and ensure that he is present in the commission's court on January 17.