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2024 Supreme(Mad) 427

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
S.S. Sundar, N. Senthilkumar, JJ.
V. Adhimoolam & Others – Petitioners
Versus
The Member State Human Rights Commission, Chennai and Others – Respondents
WP.Nos. 27969 of 2018 & 34501 of 2019 & WMP.Nos. 32532 of 2018, 35204 of 2019 & 19722 of 2023
Decided On : 14-03-2024

Advocate Appeared:
For the Petitioner:A.L.Somayaji, Senior counsel, Manoharan Sundaram, Advocate.
For the Respondent:S. Wilson, V. Yamuna Devi, Spl.GP, A. John Britto, Advocates.

IMPORTANT POINT
The main legal point established in the judgment is the court's discretion to reopen a case for further evidence, the assessment of the bona fides of such applications, and the interpretation of provisions of The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 in determining human rights violations and appropriate recommendations.

Headnote:

SHRC - Human Rights Violations - [The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 - Section 18, Section 19, Section 20] - The court discussed the provisions of The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, particularly Section 18 (Power to make regulations), Section 19 (Salaries and allowances and other conditions of service of Chairperson and Members) and Section 20 (Officers and other staff of the Commission) to determine the legality of the SHRC's recommendations and the petitioner's application to reopen the case for further evidence.

Fact of the Case:

The case involved a complaint of human rights violations by the police against a man and his son, including illegal detention, custodial torture, and coercion to confess to a crime. The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) recommended compensation and disciplinary action against the police officers, and also recommended criminal prosecution.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the petitioner's application to reopen the case for further evidence was belated and lacked bona fides. It upheld the SHRC's findings of human rights violations and the recommendations for compensation and disciplinary action, but set aside the recommendation for criminal prosecution due to the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case.

Issues: The issues involved the legality of the SHRC's recommendations, the petitioner's application to reopen the case for further evidence, and the appropriateness of the recommendations for compensation, disciplinary action, and criminal prosecution.

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was based on the belated and non-bona fide nature of the petitioner's application, the uncontroverted evidence of human rights violations, and the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, leading to the partial allowance of the petition and the setting aside of the recommendation for criminal prosecution.

Final Decision: WP.No.27969/2018 was dismissed, and WP.No.34501/2019 was partly allowed, upholding the recommendations for compensation and disciplinary action but setting aside the recommendation for criminal prosecution.

ORDER :

S.S. Sundar, J.

(Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of certiorari calling for the records in respect of the order of dismissal dated 25.07.2018 passed in SHRC.No.1757/2012 issued by the 1st respondent and to quash the same.) Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of certiorari calling for the records in respect of the recommendation dated 21.01.2019 in SHRC.No.1757/2012 issued by the 2nd respondent and to quash the same.)

1. Since the issue arises for consideration in both the writ petitions are connected and parties to the writ petitions are same, both petitions are disposed of by this common order.

2. The Court heard the submissions of Mr.A.L.Somayaji, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioners in both the writ petitions ; Mrs.V.Yamuna Devi, learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the State ; Mr.S.Wilson, learned counsel appearing for the State Human Rights Commission and Mr.A.John Britto, learned counsel appearing for the private respondent.

3. The petitioner in WP.No.27969/2018 is the 1st respondent in SHRC Case No.1757/2012. When the complaint was pending before the State Human Rights Commission [SHRC], the petitioner filed a petition to reopen the case for the respondent's evidence. The said petition was dismissed by SHRC on 25.07.2018 after holding that the petition is filed to drag on the proceedings and that the application filed nearly two and half years after the evidence was closed, lacks bona fides.

4. As against the order dismissing the application filed by the writ petitioner in WP.No.27969/2018, to reopen the case for respondent's evidence, WP.No.27969/2018 is filed.

5. The Tribunal passed the final order on 21.01.2019 in SHRC Case No.1757/2012 with the following recommendations:-

    i. The Government of Tamil Nadu shall pay a compensation of Rs.3,00,000/- [Rupees Three Lakhs Only] to the complainant Thiru.G.Ravi, S/o.Ganesan, P.No.2/1005, New No.1375, Pandian Street, Akash Nagar, Gerugambakkm, Chennai 600 122 and Rs.1,00,000/- to the complainant's son Sripakkiyan within one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this recommendation and the Government of Tamil Nadu may recover Rs.1,00,000/- each from respondents 1 to 4. The complaint against the 5th respondent is dismissed.

ii. This Commission also recommends to initiate disciplinary action against the respondents No.1 to 4 as per the Rules.

iii. This Commission further recommends to initiate criminal prosecution against the respondents No.1 to 4.

6. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner in WP.No.27969/2018 along with respondents 2 to 4 before the State Human Rights Commission, has filed WP.No.34501/2019.

7. Brief facts of the case that led to the filing of the above two writ petitions are as follows:-

8. The 2nd respondent in WP.No.27969/2018, namely, Mr.G.Ravi, is the 3rd respondent in WP.No.34501/2019 and hereinafter, he shall be referred to as 'the complainant'. Petitioners 1 to 4 in WP.No.34501/2019 are hereinafter referred to, either as respondents 1 to 4 before the Commission or petitioners 1 to 4.

9. The 1st petitioner is the Inspector of Police. The complainant was working as Manager in Saravana Bhavan Hotel in George Town, Chennai. His wife by name Ambiga was a whistle-blower having made several publications about the fraudulent irregularities in Kanchipuram Central Cooperative Bank at Porur. The wife of the complainant Smt.Ambiga was stated to be murdered by two identifiable persons in police uniform on 24.01.2012 at 2.00 a.m. The complainant's son is an eyewitness and he lodged a complaint which was registered in Crime No.64/2012 by Mangadu Police Station. The case of the complainant is that he along with his son were taken to Mangadu Police Station on 24.01.2012 at 6.00 a.m. and they were enquired. Again, on 25.01.2012, at about 11.45 p.m., the police took the complainant and his son to Police Station for enquiry and the co

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