Soni Sori

Arrested in 2011 on charges of being a courier for the Maoists.

Background

Soni Sori is an Adivasi school teacher born in 1975 in Chattisgarh. She was detained in 2011 on suspicion of serving as a conduit for Maoists imprisoned and sexually assaulted by Chattisgarh Police.

Life and Activism

Soni Sori was born to Munda Ram, a former INC leader who presided over Bade Bedma hamlet for more than a decade as the sarpanch (elected village headman).

During her time in jail, she faced different types of harassment. Soni was sexually assaulted by the prison authorities. She wrote to her lawyer that she was forced to stand naked while SP Ankit Garg was watching her.

Circumstances of Arrest

Soni Sori was arrested by Delhi Police on 4 October 2011. On 9 July 2013, Chhattisgarh High Court rejected her bail application along with another accused Lingaram Kodopi after hearing their counsels.

Charges and Allegations

Sori and three others, including an Essar company official were accused of supplying money to Maoists. She was booked under various sections including extortion, criminal conspiracy and unlawful activities.

Last update

She was released from Jail on Bail in 2014. Since then she has been repeatedly subjected to harassment by the Police.

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