Branded a Maoist by the Maharashtra police, Arun Ferreira was released on bail on January 5.

At his first press conference after his release, he spoke about his ordeal and how the State has been muffling the voice of dissent. Prasanna D Zore reports.

The sarcasm in 40-year-old Arun Ferreira's voice is not completely misplaced.

Jharkhand High Court acquits convicts of Chilkari massacre

Ranchi, Dec 15: Jharkhand High Court today acquitted four main convicts of Chilkari massacre who were awarded the death sentence by a court in Giridih on June 23.

A divison bench, comprising Justice R K Merathia and Justice D N Upadhaya, acquitted Jiten Marandi, Chhatrapati Mandal, Manoj Rajwar and Anil Ram due to lack of evidence.

Earlier on June 23, Additional District and Sessions Judge(First) I D Mishra had ordered that all the four accused be hanged till death for perpetrating the massacre.

MOGA CONVENTION AGAINST ATTACK ON DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

The Democratic Front Against Operation Green Hunt, Punjab held a well-attended convention at Moga on the International Human Rights Day i.e. 10^th December. The convention held in the back-drop of killing of M. Koteswara Rao @ Kishenji - the CPI (Maoist) leader in an "encounter" mired in suspicion; death sentence awarded to Jatin Marandi-the peoples singer and theater-artist of Jharkhand; brutal & inhuman torture inflicted by Chhattisgarh Police on a tribal teacher, Soni Sori and a decade long fast by Irom Sharmila, the indomitable woman from Manipur, in protest against continuation of draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act; was to focus on the significance of these events from the standpoint of human rights movement in the country and to chalk out its future direction.

As a prelude to this convention, a press briefing was held at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Halkl Jalandhar on 4^th December on these issues. The fact finding report prepared by the Coordination of Democratic Rights Organizations (CDRO), about the killing of Kishenji was translated and printed in Punjabi and widely circulated amongst democratic sections throughout Punjab.

The convention venue, Shaheedi Park was decorated with flexes, banners and placards having photographs of Kishenji, Jatin Marandi & Irom Sharmila and slogans highlighting struggle and demands for protection of democratic rights.

RANCHI: In a rare admission by a senior Union minister, Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said there were "liberated" zones in the country dominated by Maoists, corroborating the rebels' claims that in west Jharkhand and south Chhattisgarh, the state's writ doesn't run.