Adv. Pervez Parwaz (left) who filed a complaint in 2007 against Yogi Adityanath over a hate speech.

Caravan News

GORAKHPUR — The wife of lawyer Pervez Parwaz has written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) alleging that after the arrest of her husband in a fake rape case, the local police are now threatening her and her sons with false cases. Pervez, who has been fighting a legal case against Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath over a hate speech since 2007, was arrested and sent to jail last month in a case of alleged rape. Recently, the Supreme Court had asked the Gorakhpur court to reopen the hate speech case against the then Lok Sabha MP Adityanath.

As per the letter written by Pervez’s wife Rehana Begum, a false case of rape was registered against Pervez in June 2018. After investigation, the local police found the case fake and closed it. But it was reopened and a fresh inquiry was conducted and Pervez was arrested on 25th September, just a day before the case was to be heard in the Allahabad High Court. He and a co-accused had moved the HC against the rape case. The court on 26th September stayed the arrest of the co-accused. However, Pervez has since been in jail.

“Gorakhpur police are disturbing me and my sons even though there is not a single case against me or my sons. The police are hatching a conspiracy to implicate us in a false case and threatening us. This all is being done so that Pervez Parwaz could be pressured to withdraw his case against Yogi Adityanath,” Rehana wrote in the letter.

She has sought protection from NHRC.

On 27th January 2007, then local MP Yogi had allegedly made a hate speech in Gorakhpur leading to communal clashes. Pervez and others filed a case against Yogi in the local police station. The case was closed by the local court without giving any reason. They challenged it in Allahabad High Court. Later they moved the Supreme Court. The apex court on 11th September 2018 directed the Gorakhpur magistrate “to pass appropriate orders” on the petition seeking prosecution of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a 2007 hate speech case. Two weeks later, Pervez was arrested in the alleged rape case and sent to jail.

Commenting on Pervez’s wife’s allegations about police threats, Lucknow-based rights group Rihai Manch said: As this matter is related to UP Chief Minister, it is also a case of misuse of office. The hate speech case is pending in the SC, Chief Justice, therefore, should take cognizance of her allegations so that she and her family feel safe.

Rihai Manch also demanded the UP DGP to take action on her complaint about police threats.

Caravan Daily