NHRC orders Rs. 50,000/- compensation for victim of police torture in UP
The National Human Rights commission has directed the Uttar Pradesh Government to pay a sum of Rs. 50,000/- to one Shri Tejender Rajoura, victim of custodial torture.
The Commission had taken cognizance of a complaint from Shri Salman Khurshid. According to the complaint some Congress activists had gone to submit a memorandum to the District Magistrate of Agra regarding sale of synthetic milk and spurious drugs and irregular supply of electricity and water. In this process, the mob had attempted to destroy the office of D.M., City and a case under the Criminal Law Amendment Act was registered against Shri Tejender Rajoura along with more than 100 other persons. Shri Tejender Rajoura was arrested on 14 June1999 and lodged in the Nai Ki Mandi Police Station. There he was tortured and beaten in the Police Station by the Circle Officer, the ASP and the ASR.
On 15 June 1999, Shri Rajoura was brought to the Court by some police officials. At the Court premises, he complained about his injuries to the Congress Activists present there. According to the medical examination done before producing him in the Court, there were 11 serious injuries on his body caused by blunt objects.
The Commission called for an inquiry report from the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, UP and directed that the inquiry be made by a high ranking officer.
The report from the Inspector General (Human Rights) of the inquiry conducted by the DIG, Special Branch, revealed that the allegations were true and the victim had sustained injuries in police custody. It established custodial beating and torture of the victim. The Commission in its order of 11 October 2000 said that the victim’s human rights had been violated by the police who had inflicted injuries in his person. The state therefore was vicariously liable to compensate the injured Tejender Rajoura. The Commission thus asked the State Government to show-cause as to why a sum of Rs. 50,000/- should not be paid to the victim as immediate interim compensation. The reply, if any, was to be sent to the Commission within 4 weeks. The State Government was also asked to intimate the Commission about the action that had been taken against the erring police officials.
As the Uttar Pradesh Government had sent no response to the show-cause notice, the Commission felt it reasonable to assume that the State Government had nothing to say in the matter. On further consideration of the matter, the Commission deemed its expedient to direct the UP Government to pay Rs. 50,000/- to Shri Tejender Rajoura as `immediate interim relief’ u/s 18 (3) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The State has also been directed to take action against the errant policemen.
The compliance to the Commission’s directions has been called for by the end of April 2001.
The Commission had taken cognizance of a complaint from Shri Salman Khurshid. According to the complaint some Congress activists had gone to submit a memorandum to the District Magistrate of Agra regarding sale of synthetic milk and spurious drugs and irregular supply of electricity and water. In this process, the mob had attempted to destroy the office of D.M., City and a case under the Criminal Law Amendment Act was registered against Shri Tejender Rajoura along with more than 100 other persons. Shri Tejender Rajoura was arrested on 14 June1999 and lodged in the Nai Ki Mandi Police Station. There he was tortured and beaten in the Police Station by the Circle Officer, the ASP and the ASR.
On 15 June 1999, Shri Rajoura was brought to the Court by some police officials. At the Court premises, he complained about his injuries to the Congress Activists present there. According to the medical examination done before producing him in the Court, there were 11 serious injuries on his body caused by blunt objects.
The Commission called for an inquiry report from the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, UP and directed that the inquiry be made by a high ranking officer.
The report from the Inspector General (Human Rights) of the inquiry conducted by the DIG, Special Branch, revealed that the allegations were true and the victim had sustained injuries in police custody. It established custodial beating and torture of the victim. The Commission in its order of 11 October 2000 said that the victim’s human rights had been violated by the police who had inflicted injuries in his person. The state therefore was vicariously liable to compensate the injured Tejender Rajoura. The Commission thus asked the State Government to show-cause as to why a sum of Rs. 50,000/- should not be paid to the victim as immediate interim compensation. The reply, if any, was to be sent to the Commission within 4 weeks. The State Government was also asked to intimate the Commission about the action that had been taken against the erring police officials.
As the Uttar Pradesh Government had sent no response to the show-cause notice, the Commission felt it reasonable to assume that the State Government had nothing to say in the matter. On further consideration of the matter, the Commission deemed its expedient to direct the UP Government to pay Rs. 50,000/- to Shri Tejender Rajoura as `immediate interim relief’ u/s 18 (3) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The State has also been directed to take action against the errant policemen.
The compliance to the Commission’s directions has been called for by the end of April 2001.