Apex Court, Rights panel, NCW notices to centre

There is more trouble in the offing for the government as the Supreme Court (SC) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday took suo-motu cognisance on the use of force against Swami Ramdev and his supporters at Ramlila Maidan late on Saturday night. HT reports.

There is more trouble in the offing for the government as the Supreme Court (SC) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday took suo-motu cognisance on the use of force against baba Ramdev and his supporters at Ramlila Maidan late on Saturday night.

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The bench headed by justice BS Chauhan, however, rejected advocate Ajay Aggarwal’s petition seeking a direction to the government to issue a white paper on the entire episode.

The court added it was shocked at the incident and directed the Union home secretary, chief secretary of Delhi and Delhi Police commissioner to respond within two weeks to the notice.

“Considering the gravity of the police atrocities and the brutal force that was used by the police to disperse the innocent people who had gathered at Ramlila Maidan in furtherence to the permission granted by the state is a matter of concern for the court,” the vacation bench said.

The matter will come up for further hearing in the second week of July.

The NHRC also sought reports from the Centre and the Delhi government within two weeks. The rights panel issued notices to the Union home secretary, Delhi chief secretary and city police commissioner in the matter.

The National Commission for Women has also sought a report from the Delhi Police on the midnight crackdown on Baba Ramdev’s supporters at Ramlila Maidan here.

(With PTI inputs)