Murder of RTI Activist

The National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI) is deeply shocked and grieved at the brutal murder of Right to Information (RTI) activist Satish Shetty in Pune on 13 January.

Satish Shetty, 38, had been actively using the RTI Act to expose land scams and fake registration cases in the Talegaon, Lonavala and Dehu Road regions of Maval. The DIG (Registration) stated that Shetty’s complaints had initiated investigations that brought to light tax evasion and illegal sale of government land. The investi gation in the Sabele Whaghire 500 acre land scam, that is still in progress, had also led to the suspension of a sub-registrar. Shetty had been a long-standing activist who had uncovered scams around the Mumbai-Pune expressway several years ago and had exposed the setting up of banquet halls and restaurants in residential areas. Besides, he had revealed cases of illegal selling of kerosene to bogus ration card holders and the abuse of power by government officials. He had been working on spreading awareness about the RTI and was a popular figure among Talegaon residents who regularly sought his help for solving their problems.