NHRC notice to Delhi home secretary, police over Anna arrest

Hours after Anna Hazare was taken into preventive custody, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today issued notices to Union home secretary and Delhi police commissioner seeking a report within two weeks on the episode.

The Commission notice came this evening after it received a complaint from a human rights activist Anirudhasudhan Chakraborty, who alleged that provisions of Constitution and international human rights conventions were violated in the police action against Hazare and his supporters.

"The Commission received a complaint regarding the preventive action against Hazare. The complainant claimed that Hazare and his supporters were to stage a peaceful protest and action has been taken against them," an NHRC spokesperson said.

"The NHRC has asked Union Home Secretary RK Singh and Delhi Police Commissioner BK Gupta to submit a report about the action taken against Hazare and others within two weeks," the spokesperson said.

Hazare and his seven supporters, including activists Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, were placed under preventive arrest this morning after the Gandhian announced that he would defy prohibitory orders to stage a protest at Jai Prakash Narain Park near Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium.