New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Wednesday sought response from the Centre on pleas by 2006 Mumbai train blast case convict challenging the rejection of his request under the Right to Information Act for information about the IPS officers involved in the investigation.

Justice Rekha Palli issued notice to the Central Public Information Officer of Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Personnel & Training on two petitions by Ehtesham Qutubuddin Siddique who alleged corruption and violation of his human rights at the hands of the officials.

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The petitioner, who is presently lodged in Nagpur jail and is represented by lawyer Arpit Bhargava, claimed that he was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death based on “false and fabricated evidence” by a court in Mumbai, which is yet to be confirmed by the Bombay High Court.

He alleged that certain IPS officers, who had supervised the investigation, were directly or indirectly involved in the fabrication of evidence as well as giving sanction for prosecution without applying their mind.

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The petitioner stated that in September 2018, his request seeking a “copy of UPSC Form and all other documents attached with it and all documents related to appointment” of the sixteen IPS officers was declined by the MHA official on the ground that the disclosure was exempted under Section 8(1)(j) of RTI Act for being a personal information/unwarranted invasion of privacy of an individual.

The rejection was upheld by a “larger bench” of the Chief Information Commission in November 2019, the court was told.

The lawyer contended that the information in question pertained to events that happened more than 20 years ago and did not violate anyone's right to privacy as they pertained to public service.

The pleas said that the larger bench of CIC failed to appreciate that right to information and right to privacy stood on equal footing and both were guaranteed under the Constitution.

The convict stated that the disclosure would be in the larger public interest and national interest as it would lead to the innocence of convicted persons.

“CIC failed to appreciate that Respondent are trying to save the skins of senior officials of Respondent who falsely implicated Petitioner in the year 2006 and if such information is disclosed today, it may lead to a proving allegation of corruption which includes the element of corruption in the form of medals, awards, etc,” the petitions stated.

Siddique was given capital punishment for the July 11, 2006, serial blasts when seven RDX bombs ripped through many Western line local trains in Mumbai leading to the death of 189 persons and injuring 829.

The matter would be heard next on March 2.

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