The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday said that it was high time for the State Government to crack down on fake human rights organisations which “blackmail government officials and the general public by printing names of former judges and retired police officers on their letter pads to give credence to their activities.”
Passing interim orders in a petition filed by a school correspondent allegedly harassed by a fake human rights organisation, Justice N. Kirubakaran directed the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to submit details of such organisations functioning across the State and to explain the action initiated by the police so far to curb their activities.
“It is common knowledge that many private organisations continue to use the words ‘human rights’ in their names though the National Human Rights Commission had prohibited the use of the words way back in 2009. Further the State Government too had amended the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act to implement the prohibition,” the judge said.
He also recorded the submission of petitioner’s counsel Veera Kathiravan that despite all the regulations, fake organisations run a parallel administration by sporting the name boards not only in their offices and letter pads but also on their cars.
“Their job is to poke their noses into employer-employee disputes and demand hefty amounts from the employers for settling the matters,” the counsel said.
In the present case, the petitioner J. Suyambulaingam (56) of Puliyangudi in Tirunelveli district had sought for a direction to the police to register a case against members of ‘Manidha Urimai Kazhagam’ for reportedly interfering with peaceful functioning of the school, in support of a suspended school teacher, and demanding Rs.1 lakh from the school management.
