Gurgaon, May 7
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has put the Haryana police, especially the Gurgaon police, in the dock by taking cognizance of a complaint lodged with it by an officer of the Delhi police alleging violation of his human rights.

The development has allegedly sent ripples in the Delhi police and is likely to affect the relationship between the Haryana and the police force of the Capital. The Director-General of Police, Haryana, Mr Mahender Singh Malik, and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ajay Sharma, have been apprised of the matter. Also, the seriousness of the issue can be fathomed from the fact that the police of the two states coordinate their activities to grapple with crime. The Delhi police is said to be miffed over the delay on the part of the authorities in Haryana in taking action against the erring personnel, even though sufficient time has lapsed.

This is in contrast to the assertions by the top brass of the Haryana police that the force was trying to change its face and was trying to become people-friendly. In fact, the London Booby (the Scotland Police) has often been cited as yardstick on which the efficiency of the Haryana police is to be patterned on.

Mr Gurnam Singh, Inspector with the Delhi police, alleged to the NHRC that he was illegally detained, physically tortured, verbally abused and threatened to be liquidated while on his way from his residence in Gurgaon to Indira Gandhi International Airport, where he was in charge of the police control room. He was going to the airport to report for duty.

According to police authorities here, Mr Gurnam Singh was brought to the Sector 15 (station of the CIA) on a mistaken identity. The police was on the lookout for a Sikh in a case relating to a default in payment to a local lawyer. The authorities say that they are investigating the case and punitive action, if any, would be taken only after its completion. However, the police is apparently trying to wriggle out of the imbroglio. Inquiries reveal that the case relates to the staff of the CIA.

Mr Gurnam Singh has also lodged a complaint with the National Commission for Minorities, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, and the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court urging that it may be treated as a public interest litigation (PIL). There have been a number of cases where the court has taken cognizance of such complaints and treated them for registration as writ petition under PIL. While the Supreme Court can try violation of fundamental rights under Article 32 (Right to Constitutional Remedies), the high court has the power to do the same, and much more under Article 226 of the Constitution.

According to reports, the National Commission for Minorities has also been activated on the complaint of Mr Gurnam Singh.