The controversy over Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti’s public face-off with the Delhi Police for their refusal to raid a South Delhi home where African nationals were resident, and the subsequent incident in which a mob barged into the house, took a new turn on Sunday with the National Human Rights Commission issuing notices to the Delhi government for alleged “racial prejudice”, and the police filing an FIR against “unknown persons”.
The Delhi Police also issued prohibitory orders around the Parliament House and North and South Blocks in the Capital ahead of a planned demonstration on Monday by the Aam Aadmi Party in front of the Union Home Minister’s office to demand that the Delhi government be given control over the capital’s police force.
Police registered an FIR against “unknown persons” for harassing and misbehaving with a group of Ugandan and Nigerian residents of the Capital on Wednesday night.
The FIR was registered on orders by a court acting on complaints by several Africans living in Khirkee Extension that the police had refused to do so.
In their complaints, the residents alleged that a group of people had barged into the house in which four women were living, hurling accusations that they were running a prostitution and drug ring.
The four women -- two Ugandans and two Nigerians – also complained that the group surrounded them and forced them to give urine samples for a narcotic test, and were forced to undergo a cavity search during a medical examination at AIIMS, where they were forcibly taken.
They also complained that the minister and his people had asked them in public to give urine samples, said the women’s lawyer.
Mr. Bharti was captured by television channels arguing with Delhi Police for refusing to carry out his orders to conduct the raid, saying he had received complaints of drugs and prostitution racket in that area. His name is not mentioned in the FIR.
The NHRC has sent notices, returnable in three days, to the Delhi Chief Secretary, the Delhi Police Commissioner and the Union Home Secretary, on reports of “racial prejudice” and “unlawful acts”.
The NHRC, in its statement said the contents of the press reports, if true raised a serious issue of violation of human rights.
