New Delhi, The NHRC has issued a notice to the Punjab government and its police chief over a complaint alleging that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s wife demanded ₹ 5 crore to suppress a rape case, officials said on Saturday.
No immediate reaction was available from the Punjab government. An NHRC official said the Commission has taken cognisance of the allegation of the complainant that the wife of Chief Minister Mann sought ₹ 5 crore to suppress a rape case. The allegation prima facie seems to be a violation of the human rights of the victim, an NHRC bench presided over by its member Priyank Kanoongo said after taking cognisance of the matter under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, according to the proceedings.
“The complainant alleged that a retired judge publicly stated that a demand of ₹ 5 crore was made in connection with a rape case, allegedly involving the wife of the chief minister of Punjab,” the proceedings dated August 21 read. The allegation has been levelled by a former Punjab judge, the official said, according to the complaint. The complaint, filed by Legal Rights Observatory , raised concerns that such “interference” could compromise the victim’s right to dignity, safety, fair investigation and access to justice, they said. “The registry is directed to issue a notice to the chief secretary of the Punjab government, and the DGP of Punjab, with directions to ‘get the allegations made in the complaint inquired into, and to submit an action taken report within two weeks for perusal of the Commission’,” the bench said. “Let a copy of this proceeding be also transmitted to the Joint Secretary, Women Safety Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, for information,” it said.
