India Right To Information

Bihar, one of India's poorest states, won a gold medal in Goa recently for its innovative information call centres. But some of those who have sought out information have not had model treatment - they claim they have been harassed, intimidated and in some cases jailed. Chandradeep Singh, a former army man, says he was put behind bars for 22 days after he sought information through the act on the police investigation into the murder of his son and daughter 12 years ago. Mr Singh says he sought information from a police station in Maner.

Mr Singh, who is in his 60s, says he was kept in Danapur jail on a rape investigation until a non-governmental organisation - the Bihar RTI Manch - intervened to win him bail. Mr Singh, wearing his army medals on his sleeves, pedals about 26km (15 miles) every week to the Manch's office to keep up his fight for information. "I want justice,
nothing else. I have fought for the country and I'll not lose hope easily," he told the BBC.

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