Journalism of Courage
Armed with information collected under the RTI Act,the family of 35-year-old Dinesh Vishkarma,who is lodged in a jail in Pakistan,has requested top authorities in India to get him home. According to the family,Dineshs one-year jail term ended on March 9 and he is now being detained illegally.
Dinesh,a native of UPs Ghazipur district,is lodged in the District Jail Malir in Karachi. He was arrested by Pakistani authorities for entering the country without legal documents.
It was only when an official of the local intelligence unit visited the family in May that they got to know of his arrest. The family met district officials and political leaders to get more information,but in vain. At that time,all we knew was that he was lodged in a jail in Pakistan. We even didnt know which jail and on what charges, Dineshs younger brother Rajneesh said.
Advocate Awanish Chaubey,who lives in the vicinity,then filed an RTI application with the External Affairs Ministry.
Last month,he received a reply,stating that Dinesh was arrested on March 9,2012 by Pakistani authorities,convicted under the Foreigners Act and sentenced to one years rigorous imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 500 or 15 days imprisonment.
It was also mentioned that his nationality had been confirmed. We have no information why the Pakistan government is not releasing Dinesh when his jail term has been completed. Last week,I wrote to the President and the Prime Minister of India,the External Affairs Ministry and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh,requesting them to help since my brothers detention is now illegal,Rajneesh said.
Dineshs wife,Rukhmani Devi,said her main concern was her husbands health and safety. We will be satisfied only after he returns home, she said.
Family members said they are unsure how Dinesh landed in jail in the first place. According to them,Dinesh,who worked in a private firm in Rajasthans Alwar district,went missing in the latter half 2011 and had been untraceable ever since.
