NHRC orders inquiry into complaints of West Bengal post poll violence: Meet the seven-member committee

The National Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice (Retired) Arun Mishra has constituted a seven-member committee headed by former Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain to inquire into the complaints of post-poll violence in West Bengal. The committee has been constituted in accordance with the orders of the High Court of Calcutta , NHRC officials said. The committee under Jain comprises Atif Rasheed, Rajuben L Desai, Santosh Mehra, Pradip Kumar Panja, Raju Mukherjee and Manzil Saini. Here’s a brief look at each member of the committee: Rajiv Jain Jain, the former Intelligence Bureau chief joined as a Member of the National Human Rights Commission,  NHRC in June 2021. He had been an officer of the 1980 batch of Indian Police Service, IPS from the Jharkhand cadre. Jain is a recipient of the President’s Police Medal and other awards. He has served in various districts of Bihar and Jharkhand and other places in India and abroad. While in the Intelligence Bureau, he dealt with a plethora of issues having a bearing on national security. Atif Rasheed Rasheed is the vice-chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities. He was born on 13 February 1980. He is currently a member of the Aligarh Muslim University Court, to which he was appointed by the President of India. He is a former executive councillor of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) and a former president of the Satyawati College Student Union. Rajuben L Desai Desai assumed the office of a member of the National Commission for Women on 8 March, 2019. A prominent educationist and social worker in Gujarat who has worked extensively for the welfare of women and children, she was previously the Principal of Law College in Gujarat’s Deesa. She graduated in psychology and law and completed her LL.M in Criminology and Ph.D in Law, Development and Gender Inequality.  She also conducted research on the situation of women in the Banaskantha district. Santosh Mehra Mehra was appointed to the post of Director General (Investigation) in the NHRC in May. He is a 1987 batch IPS officer of the  Andhra Pradesh cadre. Manzil Saini Saini, the Deputy Inspector General (Investigation), NHRC, is a 2005 batch IPS officer who served as the first woman police chief of Lucknow. She previously served as the SSP of Etawah. Described as a young and dynamic officer, Saini hit the headlines in 2013 when she was first appointed then hastily transferred out of Muzaffarnagar after the riots broke out. Pradip Kumar Panja Panja is the registrar of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. Raju Mukherjee Mukherjee is the member secretary, West Bengal State Legal Services Authority. What will the NHRC committee do?

1. As per the orders of the high court, the NHRC Committee shall examine all cases of post-poll violence in West Bengal, complaints for which have already been received in the National Human Rights Commission or which may be received.
2. It shall also examine the complaints which have been received by the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority and also further complaints that may be received by the Legal Services Authority.
3. Officials said the cases shall be examined, including by visiting the affected areas and shall submit a comprehensive report to the High Court of Calcutta about the present situation and also steps to be taken to ensure the confidence of the people that they can peacefully live in their houses and also carry on their occupation or business to earn their livelihood.
4. The committee shall also point out the persons, prima-facie, responsible for crime and the officers who maintained calculated silence on the issue.
5. The committee is scheduled to start its inquiry process ‘immediately’.

With inputs from ANI