The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police (DGP) seeking reports on the manhandling and detention of IBN-7 Bureau Chief Shalabh Mani Tripathi by the Lucknow police on Sunday night.
It has been alleged that the police misbehaved with and manhandled Mr. Shalabh Tripathi and another journalist, Manoj Tripathi, after the channel reported that Deputy Chief Medical Officer Yogendranath Singh Sachan's injuries could not have been self-inflicted.
Dr. Sachan was found dead in the Lucknow district jail under mysterious circumstances on June 22.
The Commission, which was acting on two complaints against the police action, observed that the allegations made by the complainants, if true, raised serious issues of violation of human rights.
Earlier, the NHRC had issued notice to the Lucknow District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police seeking reports on the death of Dr. Sachan. It had asked for reports of magisterial inquiry and inquest, the CD of post mortem, the viscera report and the final cause of death to be sent within four weeks.
Besides, it asked the DM and the SSP to explain why they failed to intimate about the death of Dr. Sachan within 24 hours as per the NHRC guidelines.
Dr. Sachan was lodged in the Lucknow Jail as the main accused in the murder of Chief Medical Officer B.P. Singh.
Media reports alleged that the two journalists were picked up by the Lucknow police at 11 p.m. on Sunday within hours of the channel carrying reports highlighting the loopholes in the probe into Dr. Sachan's death.
The two journalists were roughed up by the police. Mr. Manoj Tripathi managed to escape.
However, Mr. Shalabh Tripathi was taken straight to the Hazratganj police station by an additional SP and a circle officer. The two senior officers allegedly asked their juniors to put the journalist inside the lock-up and beat him up. However, the juniors refused and Mr. Shalabh Tripathi was released after the journalists started assembling outside the police station protesting the illegal detention.
