The human rights commission called for a factual report on the nationwide crackdown within four weeks.
New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Wednesday issued a notice to Maharashtra’s chief secretary and director general of police after taking suo motu cognisance of the arrest of five human rights activists in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence.
The commission has asked for a factual report on the nationwide crackdown within four weeks.
In its observations, based on media reports, the NHRC said standard operating procedures were not followed by the police while arresting civil liberties activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and Maoist ideologue Varavara Rao, and it may amount to violation of their human rights.
The Delhi high court stayed the transit remand for Navlakha late Tuesday when the police could not satisfactorily explain the offence he was arrested for. The court also questioned how Pune police got a transit remand from a Delhi court without any local witness.
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The decision on a transit remand for Bharadwaj is also pending before the Faridabad chief judicial magistrate and will be heard at 4.00 pm Wednesday.
The NHRC noted, “The activist told the court that she had nothing to do with the incident for which she has been arrested. According to her, the FIR did not even name her and she is being harassed and arrested only because of her ideology.”
Ambuj Sharma, NHRC secretary general, said, “The reply (from Maharashtra police) will come within four weeks but since they are senstitized by the notice, they will be compelled to take actions only as per law.”
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Earlier in June too, the NHRC took suo motu coginsance of the arrest of five human rights activists — Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut — by Maharashtra police in the Bhima Koregaon violence case.
“In that matter also, the Commission had issued a notice on 29 June to the DGP, Maharashtra calling for a report in the matter within four weeks, which is yet to be received,” the NHRC noted in its statement.
“Suo motu notices are a very important and forceful tool for us with which hold state governments responsible. In case they (Maharashtra police) don’t respond to the commission, we will summon with details and evidence,” added Sharma.