Hindustan Times, Delhi
Tuesday 31st March 2015, Page: 5
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Statesman, Delhi
Tuesday 31st March 2015, Page: 10
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Rashtriya Sahara, Delhi
Tuesday 31st March 2015, Page: 5
Width: 6.55 cms, Height: 9.29 cms, a4, Ref: pmin.2015-03-31.41.62
Millennium Post, Delhi
Tuesday 31st March 2015, Page: 4
Width: 8.01 cms, Height: 9.16 cms, a4, Ref: pmin.2015-03-31.31.43
NHRC seeks report on murder of woman over
suspected witchcraft
Press Trust of India | New Delhi
March 30, 2015 Last Updated at 22:22 IST
Acting swiftly on a complaint, the National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) helped rescue a Dalit, Vishnu Dev Ravidas, from the clutches of some
persons who had allegedly killed his wife suspecting that she practised witchcraft
in Navada in Bihar.
A case in this connection was registered on March 20 at Police Station Pakri
Barwan.
"Justice D Murugesan, Member of NHRC, observed that the allegations, if true,
were disturbing that in a civilised society, governed by the rule of law, evil
practices like witchcraft were still in practice," the Commission said in a
statement.
The Commission has issued notices to the District Magistrate and Senior
Superintendent of Police, Navada, Bihar calling for a complete report on the
incident and immediate arrest of the accused within four weeks, failing which,
they will have to appear before it on May 22.
The Commission also lauded its team of officers and the local police who got
their act together in no time and managed to release a person in captivity of
some people.
The cognizance of the matter was taken on the basis of a complaint received
from the son of Vishnu Dev on March 20 alleging that some villagers, in
connivance with the local MLA, had killed his mother suspecting that she
practiced witchcraft.
He also alleged that they had confined his father at Village Badhona, Post
Konandpur, Police Station Pakri Barawan, District Navada, Bihar for the last two
days. He apprehended that life of his father was in danger as they were not
allowed to approach the police. He requested immediate intervention of the
Commission to save his father's life and take action against the accused, who
had killed his mother.
The Commission, on the same day, got in touch with the concerned police
officials, who rescued his father, Vishnu Dev Ravidas and brought him to the
police station.
Witchcraft: Killed wife, held husband in
captive; son approaches NHRC and got relief
Narendra Ch
30 March, 2015
The National Human Rights Commission, acting swiftly on a complaint, got rescued
one Vishnu Dev Ravidas, a Dalit in Bihar, from the clutches of some persons who had
allegedly killed his wife suspecting that she practiced witchcraft.
A criminal case vide FIR No. 43/2015 was registered in the matter on the 20th March,
2015 at Police Station Pakri Barwan, u/s 143, 147, 149, 323, 341, 342, 365, IPC and
Section 3,4 of Prevention of Witchcraft Practices Act.
However, there was no information about the arrest of any accused in the matter nor any
reasons provided for not invoking the provisions of the SC/ST Act. The whereabouts of
the mother of the petitioner alleged to have been killed were also being ascertained.
According to a press release issued by NHRC, Justice D. Murugesan, Member, NHRC
observed that the allegations, if true, were disturbing that in a civilised society, governed
by the rule of law, the evil practices like witchcraft were still in practice. The Commission
has issued notices to the District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police,
Navada, Bihar calling for a complete report related to the incident, including the arrest of
the accused, within four weeks failing which, they will have to appear before it on the
22nd May, 2015.
The Commission also lauded its team of officers and the local police who got their act
together in no time and managed to release a person in captivity of some people.
The cognizance of the matter was taken on the basis of a complaint received from the
son of Vishnu Dev on the 20th March, 2015 alleging that some villagers, in connivance
with the local MLA, had killed his mother suspecting that she practiced witch craft. He
also alleged that they had confined his father at Village Badhona, Post Konandpur,
Police Station Pakri Barawan, District Navada, Bihar for the last two days.
He apprehended that life of his father was in danger as they were not allowed to
approach the police. He requested immediate intervention of the Commission to save his
father's life and take action against the accused, who had killed his mother.
The Commission, on the same day, got in touch with the concerned police officials, who
rescued his father, Vishnu Dev Ravidas and brought him to the police station.
THE TIMES OF INDIA India
NHRC intervenes to rescue man from villagers
who suspected him of practicing witchcraft
TNN | Mar 31, 2015, 03.52 AM IS
NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission has got a dalit,
identified as Vishnu Dev Ravidas, rescued from clutches of some persons in Bihar
who had allegedly killed his wife suspecting that she practiced witchcraft. The
man's son had approached NHRC seeking action.
A case was registered in Pakri Barwan police station in Navada, Bihar on March
20 in the matter. However, there was no information about the arrest of any
accused in the matter. The whereabouts of the mother of the petitioner alleged to
have been killed were also being ascertained.
The matter was taken up on a complaint received from the son of Vishnu Dev
who alleged that some villagers, in connivance with the local MLA, had killed his
mother suspecting that she practiced witchcraft. He also alleged that they had
confined his father at Badhona village, Post Konandpur, Police Station Pakri
Barawan, District Navada, Bihar for the last two days. He apprehended that life of
his father was in danger as they were not allowed to approach the police. He
requested immediate intervention of the commission to save his father's life and
take action against the accused, who had killed his mother, said a NHRC
statement.
The commission, on the same day, got in touch with the concerned police
officials, who rescued his father, Vishnu Dev Ravidas and brought him to the
police station.
NHRC seeks report from UP govt on
electrocution death
Press Trust of India | New Delhi
March 30, 2015 Last Updated at 21:57 IST
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought report from Uttar
Pradesh government on two persons getting electrocuted after they came in
contact with a high tension wire in Greater Noida.
Taking suo motu notice of the incident which happened five days ago, the
Commission today issued notices to the Principal Secretary of Department of
Power, Government of Uttar Pradesh, District Magistrate and Superintendent of
Police of Greater Noida seeking reports within two weeks.
The contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of
human rights of two victims, it said.
"Reportedly, Ashiq, a labourer, was working at the under construction house,
when 11,000 volts high tension wire broke and fell on him.
Fakhrool, a labour contractor, made efforts to save him but also came in contact
with the live wire and got electrocuted. Ashiq was 32 and Farkhrool was 30 years
old," the Commission said in its statement.
Somnath Bharti's behavior shameful, action
taken by NHRC correct: Rita Bahuguna Joshi
Mar 31, 11:28 am
Lucknow, Mar. 31 (ANI): Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Monday said
that action taken by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
against former Delhi Law Minster Somnath Bharti was correct as the behavior
showed by the minister was extremely shameful, vulgar and unparliamentarily.
"Somnath Bharti was the law minister at that time and the way he behaved with
those women was very shameful," said Joshi.
"His language was so vulgar and unparliamentarily. So, the notice sent by the
NHRC against him is right in every way," she said.
The NHRC today directed the Delhi Police to take action against Bharti for
leading a midnight raid at the residence of African nationals in New Delhi's
Khirki Extension.
Activist-lawyer Shehzad Poonawala had petitioned against AAP leader Bharti in
connection with the case.
A judicial probe had already indicted former Delhi law minister for his action.
(ANI)
The injustice of justice
Mar 30, 2015
Sudhanshu Ranjan
It was a bolt from the blue for the victims of Hashimpura, in Meerut, who had
waited since May 1987, when 42 Muslims were shot dead allegedly by PAC
jawans, only to find the accused cops walking free
The verdict of the Tis Hazari trial court (in State v. Surendra Pal Singh) on March 24 in
the Hashimpura massacre case, acquitting all the surviving 16 accused after nearly 28
years has put the justice system in India in the dock and is, in fact, an indictment of the
criminal collusion between the prosecution, investigation and the judiciary.
It was a bolt from the blue for the victims of Hashimpura, in Meerut, who had waited
since May 22, 1987, when 42 Muslims were shot dead allegedly by Provincial Armed
Constabulary jawans, only to find the accused cops walking free. The court gave the
“benefit of doubt for want of sufficient evidence regarding their identity”. Three other PAC
personnel, who made up the initial 19 accused, died during the course of trial. They had
all been charged with murder, criminal conspiracy and tampering of evidence.
The incident took place three days after one Dr Prabhat Singh was killed by a “Muslim
mob” on his way to attend to a Muslim patient. They killed him because he was a Hindu
not knowing that he goung to attend to a Muslim patient.
The PAC arrested all the able-bodied men of Hashimpura and packed them into police
trucks. Around 50 of them were allegedly taken to a lonely place, dragged out, shot and
thrown into a ditch (Gang Nahar) in Ghaziabad. However, some survived and one of
them, Zulfiqar, somehow fled to Delhi, met Syed Shahabuddin, and both broke the story
at a press conference. Many bodies were found floating in the canal. The Uttar Pradesh
government, then headed by the Congress’ Vir Bahadur Singh, was not ready to admit
that so many people had been killed in cold blood, and so no death certificates were
issued. This was done later, at the direction of the Supreme Court, when People’s Union
for Democratic Rights (PUDR) filed a petition for it.
However, no investigation took place. After big hullabaloo, the state government directed
the crime branch of crime investigation department (CB-CID) to investigate the case. But
its report, submitted in 1994, was never made public. The then superintendent of police
of Ghaziabad, Vibhuti Narain Rai, has said that the investigation was biased since the
outset in favour of the accused and was done in a way to exonerate them.
In 1996, the state government filed criminal chargesheets against 19 PAC personnel.
None of the chargesheeted jawans was arrested despite 23 non-bailable arrest warrants
issued against them by the court. It was the worst travesty of justice that they remained
in active service throughout and the state government kept pleading that they were
absconding. Thus, they were in a position to influence the investigation, tamper with the
evidence and intimidate witnesses. It is a sad commentary on the collusion between the
state and the accused. But the court cannot go unscathed either as it could have
directed the director-general of police, Uttar Pradesh, to produce them in the court failing
which it could request the high court to initiate contempt proceedings against him.
In September 2002, the case was transferred from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi at the direction
of the Supreme Court. Still the state government kept seeking adjournments on various
grounds. Some of the accused died during the pendency of the trial. However, a silver
lining in our civil society, not the judicial system, is that Prof. Harpal Singh, the father of
Prabhat Singh, has been fighting along with the relatives of the victims to bring those
policemen to justice.
The fact that 28 years after the brutal massacre of 42 Muslims, the guilty in police
uniforms have been let off on grounds of lack of identification though they were on duty
at Hashimpura on the fateful day speaks volumes about the rampant corruption in the
police force.
India is notorious for judicial delays. Killers of then Union minister Lalit Narain Mishra,
who died on January 3, 1975, after being injured in a bomb blast a day earlier, were
sentenced by the trial court in October last. Machal Lalung of Assam remained in
custody for 54 years without any case against him or any record of the crime he had
allegedly committed. His case was taken up by the Supreme Court on a PIL filed on the
basis of a newspaper report. He was freed on a personal bond of one rupee.
In a curious judgment on April 7, 2010, the apex court refused to show any leniency to a
serial killer, “Ripper” Chacko, sentenced to three life terms. A division bench, while
deciding a five-year-old petition filed by Chacko from his cell at Kannur Central Jail in
Kerala, directed him to serve his full life term unless the state government remitted it.
Surprisingly, the court was oblivious of the fact that Chacko had died by hanging himself
in the prison cell on November 24, 2005. Chacko had filed the petition in February 2005,
praying for mercy.
These facts and the Hashimpura verdict should jolt the authorities out of their slumber to
address the problem of judicial delays. In the UK, the Wrongful Conviction Commission
recommends acquittal or re-trial in cases of wrongful convictions or acquittal
respectively. In India, the National Human Rights Commission should take
cognisance of such acquittals suo moto and give its recommendation. In Ramdeo
Chauhan v. Bani Kant Das, the NHRC recommended that the convict’s death sentence
should be commuted on the basis that he was a juvenile at the time of commission of
crime and the governor did so accordingly. The Supreme Court later upheld it.
The problem of delay is the biggest scourge of India’s judicial system. India has the
record of longest contested lawsuit according to the Guinness Book Of World Records.
In Pune, on April 28, 1966, Balasaheb Patloji Thorat received a favourable judgment in a
suit filed by his ancestor, Maloji Thorat, 761 years earlier, in 1205. At issue were rights of
presiding over public functions and religious festivals. A title case filed by Nava Krishna
Deb in Kolkata in 1833, is yet to be decided. To root out the problem of delay, the
provision of adjournment must be written off.
The writer is a senior TV journalist and author