Delhi Police charge unnamed Australia-based groups with hate crime

Police register case under Sections 505 and 505 Indian Penal Code for postal, email threats from Australia-based Hindutva groups to Sonia Gandhi, John Dayal

New Delhi, August 8th 2007

Two months after emails and letters were received by National Integration member Dr John Dayal from Australia-based Hindutva groups, targeting him and Indian National Congress and United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Mrs Sonia Gandhi with hate speech and communal threats to their person, the Mandawali police station of Delhi Police has at last registered a formal criminal case and launched the second phase of their investigations.
The criminal cases have been filed under Sections 505 and 507 of the Indian Penal Code. Section 505 is for crimes by a person or persons circulating statements “with intent to cause or likely to cause fear or alarm to the general public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against the public tranquillity, likely to incite any class or community to commit any offence against any class or community. The Section also covers statements creating enmity, hate or ill will between communities
Section 507 charges people with the crime of Criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication. The sections invite prison terms of three years and two years of rigorous imprisonment, and fines.
The complaint was earlier investigated by the Cyber crime and economic offences wings of the Delhi police before being formalised into what is called the FIR. [FIR number 377 registered on 8 August 2007 at Police Station Mandawali, East Delhi District, Delhi Police.]
The complaint had also been sent to the High Commissioner of Australia in New Delhi has been no response from Australia.
The letter from unnamed Australia-based groups had been received by Dr Dayal at his home through the Indian Postal Service.
In his complaint to the Commissioner of Delhi Police on 10th May 2007, Dr Dayal, president of the All India Catholic Union and Secretary General of the All India Christian Council said the following:
On the evening of 9th May 2007, I received by post at my address an envelope bearing Australian postage stamps. I opened the envelop, and was shocked to see, and to read, its contents.
The letter was on computer laser print, apparently from the website http://www.hindujagruti.org with the Caption “Hindu Janajagruti Samiti: with the further caption “Devout Hindus stop conversions in MP”. In the white space in the point out, and on the reverse, in a blue felt tip pen, the following threatening words have been written by some apparently literate person, apparently fluent in English, purportedly a student living abroad [in Australia, perhaps, going by the postage stamps and Post Office cancellation marks]:
The writer of the hand-written letter says: “You filthy John Dayal, Stop your dirty conversions in India. Using foreign money to lure poor gullible Hindus into Christianity. We are young Hindus living and studying in foreign countries. If you don not stop your conversions, we will come and kill, chase all Christians out of India. If you are a Christian, go and live in a Christian country. You can stay in our country but stop your conversions. We will not let our Hindu motherland be abused by a filthy dog like you. You will be our first target. Rot in hell, you filthy dog. Go to Pakistan and Saudi and see what your activities will get you there. They will chop your balls and feed it to the dogs. You have the support of that Catholic prostitute Sonia and that pig of a pope of yours. Keep doing this and see what we do to you. You know Gandhi was killed by a Hindu. What are you. Get out of our country, you dirty DOG. Take that Catholic Bitch – Sonia Gandhi family with you.”
I do not fear such threats to my life. I have faith in Christ.
I also have faith in the Democracy of my country and its law and justice system. As a citizen of India, I expect the law and order process to take care of such lunatics,
I am sure the Delhi police will file this FIR under suitable sections of the penal code, and take appropriate action under postal and internet laws of the land.
Thank you,
And God bless
Dr. John Dayal”