Delhi govt asked to respond on relief to victim of wrongful confinement

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a showcause notice to Delhi government asking why monetary relief of Rs 5 lakh should not be recommended to be paid to Mohammad Amir for his wrongful confinement for 14 years as a terrorist.

According to the Commission, Amir’s entire youth was destroyed due to his wrongful arrest on February 27, 1998, from old Delhi on the allegation of being ‘terrorist’ when he had just turned 18.

Amir had been acquitted in 17 cases, including one by the High Court of Delhi. The Commission has given six weeks to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi to respond. 

“The sufferings faced by him have been long and arduous and the damage caused to him by the conduct of the state authorities is immense and exemplary. In the circumstances, the state must compensate the damage caused by its employees to the victim.

“Moreover, the life ahead of the victim from this point does not seem to be a smooth one as he has lost his parents, his career, his hopes, dreams and everything. But the hard fact is that he has to overcome the same and return to the mainstream of life and prove his worth as an ideal citizen of the country,” observed Justice D Murugesan, member, NHRC.

The Commission observed that it cannot be disputed that the security of the nation stands atop all other considerations and is the sacred duty of every organ of the state. But not an iota of evidence was produced in the court to connect Amir with any of the alleged crimes, it said.