19 January,2009 09:18 AM IST | | MiD DAY Correspondent
Shankar Bidari file pic
Police commissioner says panel is null and void and has vested interests
City police commissioner Shankar Bidari is embroiled in a war of words with NGOs that demand that he be removed from his post.
People's Tribunal on Torture, (PTT) a committee probing the Special Task Force (STF) atrocities during the Anti -Veerappan Operations in 1990, demanded the state government initiates an inquiry against Bidari for his alleged involvement in it. They want him recalled from is post in the interim period.
u00a0But Bidari dismisses their demands saying the committee itself is null and void as per the NHRC rules and their demands are based on vested interest.u00a0
Henri Tiphagne, executive director of the NGO People's Watch, who was heading the committee, said Bidari had responded to the final report of the tribunal. The committee, which also includes Sichrem, a city-based NGO, working on human rights violations,u00a0 released a report on December 9, 2008, recommending Bidari be recalled from his position and disciplinary action be taken against him.
Bidari defense
Bidari has accused Sichrem for spreading malicious, baseless and false propaganda. He even claims the NHRC had cleared him of all charges around five years ago.
But the PTT refuted Bidari's claim stating that he had wrongly interpreted Sadashiva Panel Report, 1999.
u00a0Bidari defends himself saying, "The panel is harassing me unnecessarily now. Though I was heading the STF force, I was under the command of ADGP, DGP and the home department. Why is the committee targetting me alone?"
He further said the committee could have raised objections when the compensation was announced. Raking up the issue when everything is sorted out, points to their ulterior motive.
