By IANS,
New Delhi : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Thursday said that it has pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for police atrocities on a journalist who was investigating the misuse of authority by a then superintendent of police.
“Samiuddin, the victim, is a press reporter who was fighting against the misuse of authority of the then superintendent of police, N. Padmja, of the Lakhimpur Kheri district. However, he was falsely implicated in a case and was arrested,” an NHRC official said.
“Subsequently, when he approached officers in authority for redressal of his grievances, he could not evoke a sympathetic response from them. On the contrary, the police officials representing the state concerned spoke against Samiuddin and denied him the right of even being heard,” the official added.
The victim’s complaint to the commission further reveals that he was allegedly harassed by Padmja after his reports were published in 2004. He was also kidnapped with an intent to kill, he added.
“Keeping this in mind, the commission asked for the state government’s reply on the status of Samiuddin’s complaint on his illegal arrest within six weeks. It has also asked for a complete enquiry report into the incident,” the NHRC official said.
In addition to this, the commission has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to pay Rs.500,000 to the victim.