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Court Condemns NHRC's Investigation Flaws
The Allahabad High Court has strongly criticized the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for its flawed investigation into the 2009 custodial death of Nahar Singh, a disabled individual. Justices Atul Sreedharan and Siddharth Nandan expressed disappointment that the NHRC closed the case based solely on the police's claim of suicide due to a "love affair."
Questions Raised Over Police Bias and Evidence Handling
The court noted critical procedural gaps, including the NHRC's failure to collect statements from the victim's father or the woman involved. The bench pointed out that authorities in custodial death cases often have a motive to present deaths as suicides. The NHRC's reliance on the police narrative without independent verification has raised serious concerns about its effectiveness. Adding to the context, the court acknowledged a significant 16-year delay in addressing a related public interest litigation from 2010, which may have led to evidence loss. The court is now considering that Nahar Singh might have been strangled and his body staged to look like a suicide, citing a knot mark on his head inconsistent with the police's ligature description.
CBI Ordered to Retrieve Videography Evidence
In light of these concerns, the court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to obtain crucial videography evidence within 60 days. This directive stems from the court's skepticism about the state's claim that this evidence was provided to the NHRC. The case will be reviewed again on August 10, signaling a potential re-evaluation of the NHRC's investigative procedures and its dependence on state-provided information.