IMPHAL, July 14: Hunger stirker Sharmila will miss a court summon to appear before a metropolitan magistrate at Patiala House, New Delhi on July 17 as the jail authority has reportedly sent a letter to the concerned magistrate to defer her appearance date.
A high level official source informed that the letter was sent this evening.
This is the third time that Sharmila will miss summon from the same court owing to the failure of the Home department to sanction funds for her Delhi trips.
Sharmila is due to appear before the metropolitan court no. 6 New Delhi in connection with a case registered against her for staging protest by fasting demanding repealed of AFSPA at Jantar Mantar, in 2006. The case registered against her by the concerned police is FIR No.222/06 under IPC section 309 (attempt to suicide). Her last appearance before the court was on May 28.
It’s not a summons but a production warrant issued against the SP Imphal Central Jail. And the Jail is not seeking a deferral. It is merely informing the Metropolitan Magistrate that it will be holding the production warrant in contempt. If they were seeking a deferral they would await the judge’s permission whereas they have no intention of obeying the law. Writing to the Judge merely removes any doubt that they are showing contempt for due process.