Delhi HC sets aside NHRC order on Khirki raid
Former law Minister of Delhi and AAP leader Somnath Bharti got a breather on Friday after the Delhi High Court set aside an order of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) holding Bharti guilty of “racial prejudice and unlawful acts” against 12 African women during his controversial midnight raid in Khirki Extension in South Delhi.
A vacation bench of justices S Muralidhar and Manmohan Singh, while setting aside the September 29 ruling of the NHRC, also directed it to hear the matter afresh and pass a detailed order by taking into account the evidence produced by Bharti in his defence. The AAP leader has also been asked to appear before the Commission on the next date of hearing in January. Bharti in his appeal had contended that the single judge had dismissed his plea as “premature” without “allowing fair opportunity to explain the facts of the situation before the NHRC and the legal grounds on which the writ petition was eminently maintainable”.
He had also sought a compensation of Rs100 crore from the Centre, NHRC and the city Government. Bharti’s petition had also said that NHRC had prematurely directed the Delhi Government to pay Rs25,000 compensation each to the 12 women, who had allegedly suffered racial abuse, illegal detention, intimidation, abuse, assault and indignity by the AAP leader.