The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today directed the Gujarat government to arrest a Ahmedabad district superintendent of police for "wilful disobedience" of its order to submit a report.
Nirlipt Rai, the officer, took over as Ahmedabad district (rural) SP in July 2014.
As per the notice sent by NHRC to the Chief Secretary G R Aloria, Rai is to be arrested and released on a bail of Rs 500.
The commission also asked the Chief secretary "to bring the said SP rural-Ahmedabad before the Commission on September 24 at 3:00 PM".
In 2012, Temubha Narsang, resident of Kamiyala village in Dhandhuka tehsil, had approached NHRC alleging that a DySP-rank police officer (now retired) threatened to kill him and his family in a fake encounter over a land dispute.
The commission directed the erstwhile SP Gagandeep Gambhir to conduct an inquiry and send a report. In July 2014, Gambhir was replaced by Rai.
The NHRC issued Rai several reminders about submitting the report and related documents but the SP failed to respond.
The NHRC then asked Rai to remain present with all the reports on June 30 this year, but he didn't comply even then, the notice says.
Terming this as "wilful disobedience of the orders of the commission", the NHRC today ordered that the SP be arrested and produced before it on September 24 after releasing him on bail.
When contacted, Aloria described it as "a small matter".
"This is a small matter. It is about non-receipt of some report by NHRC...There won't be any need to arrest the SP. It is just that the commission uses such harsh language. The SP is just asked to remain present before Commission," he said.
The SP himself pleaded innocence, saying his office never received any reminder from NHRC in the last two years.
"I have checked our registry branch and records of past two years. No such letters were received in past two years. As a result, no rural SP went to NHRC....I will send my clarification to NHRC....I will also request the Commission to cancel the arrest warrant," said Rai.
