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NHRC won't intervene in Rajakumar case

The National Human Rights Commission Thursday ruled out intervening "at this stage" in the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (prevention) Act detenus case, which has attracted nationwide attention with forest brigand Veerappan demanding their release to end the over ten-week old hostage crisis.

"The matter is already before the Supreme Court. We have stated what we had to. We do not want to get in at this juncture", NHRC chairman J S Verma told newsmen in Bangalore.

When pointed out that some human rights activists had sought the NHRC's intervention to facilitate the early release of the hostages, he reiterated that there was no need for it.

The commission had written in 1999 calling for expediting the judicial process in respect of TADA detenus, whose cases were getting postponed without being heard. The cases of some of the 51 detenus languishing in Mysore jail was yet to come for hearing.

He did not not agree with a questioner that the NHRC should intervene as the matter was delicate. "If I understand the situation, I am sure the Supreme Court (hearing the case) will understand", the former apex court judge added.

Asked what action he had taken on the states setting up human rights commissions, he said he had written to them. Though, the states responded positively, none of them translated it into action. The Allahabad High Court had directed Uttar Pradesh to set up the commission. "We want the states to set up the commissions early and lessen our burden", he added.

UNI

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