NHRC issues show-cause notice to UP Government
The National Human Rights Commission has today asked the Government of Uttar Pradesh through its Chief Secretary to show-cause, if any, why an amount of Rs. 2.00 lakhs be not granted as `immediate interim relief’ to the next of kin of Shri Vijay Kumar Ekka. It may be recalled that Shri Vijay Kumar Ekka was an eyewitness to the murder of a Cathelic cleric in Mathura and had reportedly died in police custody under mysterious circumstances.
Earlier on 19 June 2000, the Commission in response to a press report "Cleric’s cook dies in police custody", The Commission had issued a show-cause notice to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh calling for a report within one week. The UP Government was asked to show- cause as to why immediate interim relief by way of compensation be not granted to the next of kin of the deceased. The Commission had also directed the Director General of Police, UP to have a video recording of the post-mortem examination done in this case. Inspite of this notice and reminders to the same effect issued thereafter, there had been no response/reply received from the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
The Commission, therefore, felt that it was reasonable to assume that the Government of Uttar Pradesh had no cause to show against the award of monetary relief on the basis of the admitted death in police custody. It was also of the view that there was no occasion for giving another opportunity to the State Government to show-cause in this behalf. However, the Commission has given the Government of Uttar Pradesh further opportunity to show-cause, if any, with regard to the quantum of compensation to be granted as `immediate interim relief’ u/s 18(3) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The State Government has been given a period of 4 weeks to respond to this order of the Commission.
Earlier on 19 June 2000, the Commission in response to a press report "Cleric’s cook dies in police custody", The Commission had issued a show-cause notice to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh calling for a report within one week. The UP Government was asked to show- cause as to why immediate interim relief by way of compensation be not granted to the next of kin of the deceased. The Commission had also directed the Director General of Police, UP to have a video recording of the post-mortem examination done in this case. Inspite of this notice and reminders to the same effect issued thereafter, there had been no response/reply received from the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
The Commission, therefore, felt that it was reasonable to assume that the Government of Uttar Pradesh had no cause to show against the award of monetary relief on the basis of the admitted death in police custody. It was also of the view that there was no occasion for giving another opportunity to the State Government to show-cause in this behalf. However, the Commission has given the Government of Uttar Pradesh further opportunity to show-cause, if any, with regard to the quantum of compensation to be granted as `immediate interim relief’ u/s 18(3) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The State Government has been given a period of 4 weeks to respond to this order of the Commission.