Stalin complains to rights panel

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JULY 11. The Chennai Mayor, Mr. M.K. Stalin, today preferred a complaint with the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), requesting action against ``police officers who acted in a high-handed manner'' in his house here on the night of the arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi (wee hours of June 30).

A copy of the complaint was forwarded to the National Human Rights Commission.

After handing over the complaint to an SHRC member, Mr. Swamidurai, Mr. Stalin said the ``atrocities'' which occurred that night should not happen to any citizen anywhere.

``I have not approached the Commission for my own sake. This is to ensure that no one in the State is treated in the manner in which my family members were treated,'' the Mayor said.

The complaint lists the Home Secretary as the first respondent, the others named being the Director-General of Police, the DIG Crime Branch-CID and the Commissioner of Police.

In his complaint, Mr. Stalin says that since he was not available at his residence, the police were infuriated and ill-treated his family members to ``win the sweet will and pleasure of the Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa.'' ``If a citizen of my stature - presently the Mayor and elected member of the Legislative Assembly - and my family members are tortured in an uncivilised manner to such an extent, think of the plight of ordinary citizens at the hands of these merciless police authorities.'' Mr. Swamidurai said he had to first look into the complaint and decide whether there was a prima facie case of human rights violation. In the event of there being one, the Commission had three options - compensation to the affected; prosecution of those responsible or recommending of action against the guilty to the State Government.

Asked what action the Commission would take if there was no response from the Government, Mr. Swamidurai said it would do what it did ``generally'' in the given circumstances.

``We will approach the High Court or the Supreme Court and request them to give a direction to the State Government. This the Commission is empowered to do.''

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Section  : National
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