Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra wrote to the National Human Rights Commission on Friday, alleging that its Bengal counterpart had not acted on his complaint that police declared him as an absconder when he was present in the city and violated a “citizen’s fundamental rights and human rights”.
Mahapatra had lodged a complaint with the West Bengal Human Rights Commission on April 28.
The JU professor approached the National Human Rights Commission on a day the state human rights commission informed him in an emailed communication: “This matter (complaint) is subjudice before Ld ACJM Alipore. As such, WBHRC has no jurisdiction to intervene in the matter.”
“I know that the commission cannot intervene when a court proceeding is going on. I approached the commission to probe why someone who takes classes in the Jadavpur University’s chemistry department, was mentioned as ‘absconding’ in a chargesheet filed before the Alipore court in March 2018.... But the commission evaded duty,” he told Metro.
Mahapatra wrote to the national commission that its Bengal counterpart had become a “puppet in the hands of state government”.
The communication says: “I lodged a complaint with the state human rights commission on April 28. After two months, no action has been taken by the commission.”
“I am compelled to lodge the same complaint with the NHRC.”
Retired Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya, chairperson of the state commission, said: “We could not entertain the complaint because it is subjudice.”