NHRC denies ordering action against Somnath Bharti (Lead, superseding earlier story)

The National Human Rights Commission Monday denied it asked Delhi Police to take action against former AAP minister Somnath Bharti for his controversial campaign against an alleged drug and prostitution racket.

"The NHRC has seen news stories that it has given a direction for taking action against Somnath Bharti in the Khirki Extension incident," said an NHRC statement.

"The commission had taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and expected some reports from the concerned authorities in the matter while simultaneously getting the issue investigated by its team, report of which is still awaited," it added.

On Jan 15, Bharti - then law minister in the Aam Aadmi Party's 49-day government - along with his supporters ordered police to raid houses rented by Ugandan women in south Delhi's Khirki Extension area, claiming they were being used for drug trafficking and prostitution.

His supporters allegedly forced some of the women to give urine samples for tests.

The NHRC statement said another complaint was received on the incident "which was forwarded to the concerned authority for taking such action as deemed appropriate".

"In the interim, the commission has received a judicial inquiry report from the concerned authorities in the matter which is also under its consideration," it added.