RTI activist behind bars had questioned construction by Peeyush Khandelwal

At the collapse site in Shalimar Garden area, thousands of onlookers gathered to have a glimpse of what some of them had already expected. Several nearby residents told mediapersons that an RTI activist was put behind bars when he tried to file RTIs to find out the truth — the manner in which construction was allowed at the building that collapsed.

On Saturday evening, residents confronted officials of Ghaziabad administration and police.

They said the RTIactivist, Pawan Sharma, was put behind bars when he tried to raise issues about the manner in which the building was being constructed. He had reportedly filed an RTI with the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA).

He was put behind bars by police when several builders lodged a complaint with the police. He was questioning the manner in which this construction was taking place, residents told the police.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Raghubir Lal said the RTI activist, an resident of Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh, was put behind bars under IPC sections of extortion.

"He was allegedly demanding money from several builders and also tried to blackmail them. But this is a separate issue. His concerns and RTIs over the collapsed building is a separate issue," the senior superintendent of police added.