Submit report on juvenile's release by Dec 21: NHRC to officials

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today issued conditional summons to the Delhi chief secretary, police commissioner and the Union home secretary following their "failure" to produce reports on the release of juvenile convict in December 16, 2012 gangrape case.

The Commission had issued a notice to these authorities on November 20, giving them two weeks' time to respond after taking cognizance of the "fears expressed" by parents of the victim.

The NHRC has now asked the city and state authorities to submit the same by the December 21 or personally appear before it.

The parents had requested the Commission to recommend to the government to prepare a plan to protect the citizens from such delinquent juveniles post their release and also to strengthen the extant laws on the subject.

On its part, the Commission had asked Delhi chief secretary to apprise it of any pre-release or post release plan prepared for the juvenile and also sought information as to whether the juvenile has been recently subjected to " psychological or psychiatric assessment".

The Union Home Secretary was asked by the Commission whether it had taken any action based on the representation submitted by the parents of the victim to the Home Minister.

The Commission had observed that "there is no doubt that the complainants have undergone extreme agony and pain after the incident of rape and murder of their daughter. The fears expressed by them need to be looked into."

Meanwhile, the Centre had yesterday asked Delhi High Court to extend the observation home stay of the juvenile convict who is scheduled to be released on Sunday, saying several mandatory aspects were missing from the post-release rehabilitation plan which needed to be considered before setting him free.

The court was hearing its verdict on BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's PIL seeking stay on the juvenile's release and reserved its verdict on it.