New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Wednesday posted for Dec 22 former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti’s plea against the NHRC order to pay Rs.25,000 each to 12 African women “victims of racial prejudice and unlawful acts”, whose homes the AAP leader had allegedly barged into during a controversial midnight campaign.
Justice V.K. Shali said he would hear the plea Dec 22. The Aam Aadmi Party leader and the then law minister had allegedly visited a house in Khirki Extension area in south Delhi in January after receiving complaints about an alleged prostitution and drug racket being run from there.
Seeking directions to nullify the Sep 29 order of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Bharti’s plea said the decision had no jurisdiction as he was not given a “reasonable opportunity” to be heard and to produce evidence in his defence.
Calling for the order rto be declared a “nullity in law”, the plea said: “Bharti was not given any notice of certain proceedings initiated by the NHRC suo motu in January 2014, in which he was prejudicially viewed by the NHRC to be a principal actor, but in which proceedings he was not given any opportunity at all of being heard.”
The commission, while announcing the compensation, said it believed that the human rights of the African women were violated and hence the case was fit for monetary relief.
The plea said the NHRC direction gives an impression that the allegations were “prima facie proved”.
Filed through advocate Deepak Khosla, the plea sought direction that the NHRC produce its records pertaining to the case before the court, and then proceed to certify and declare them incorrect.
It also sought damages of Rs.100 crore jointly from the NHRC, the central government, and Delhi Police for defaming Bharti.