Chatwal case: NHRC seeks report from Kochi cops

NHRC has directed the Kerala Police to submit its action taken report on the complaint by a Delhi businessman against Chatwal and others.

In what could add to the heat on controversial NRI hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal,whose name in among those selected by the UPA government for a Padma award this year,the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Kerala Police to submit its action taken report (ATR) on the complaint by a Delhi businessman against Chatwal and others.

In an order passed on Monday,the Commission ordered the Superintendent of Police,Kochi,under whose jurisdiction Delhi businessman Jagdish Khandelwal and his associates were illegally detained at Chatwals behest,to submit an action taken report within two weeks.

Khandelwal and his associates had moved the NHRC and other agencies,accusing Chatwal and others of forcing them to sign an agreement saying they would jointly pay his company Rs 6 crore because they had reportedly over-invoiced for goods that they had supplied for his new hotel in Kochi.

Story continues below this ad

NHRC sources said that even though the Commission had issued directions on April 17,2009 to the Kerala government and the Kochi Police to take appropriate action on the complaint filed by Khandelwal,neither the state government nor the Kochi Police informed the rights body about the action taken,if any.

It (the complaint) was a serious matter and should have been dealt with expeditiously. We are now awaiting the response of the Kochi SP, a Commission functionary said.

In his complaint to the NHRC,Khandelwal had alleged that he had been picked up by the officials of the Kochi Police on Chatwals order within hours of the inauguration of the hotel on April 5,2009. Allegedly kept in illegal custody,he was released the next day only after he signed an agreement which said that he would pay Rs 6 crore to Chatwal.

The complaint also alleges the involvement of ACP K G Venugopal in the incident,among others. He had also sought protection,saying he feared another attack by Chatwal and his associates.

Story continues below this ad

The NHRC action by follows a series of exposes by The Indian Express on the cases involving Chatwal,who has been chosen for Padma award despite his controversial past.