National Human Rights Commission seeks report on juvenile’s release

The National Human Rights Commission issued conditional summons to Delhi Chief Secretary, Police Commissioner and Union Home Secretary for failing to send reports on the impending release of juvenile involved in the December 16, 2012 rape and murder of ‘Nirbhaya’. The Commission demanded reports by December 21, 2015, or to appear personally.

The Commission on a complaint by ‘Nirbhaya’s parents demanded a report in two weeks, that the chief secretary inform whether a pre/post release plan according to Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2007 was prepared with a copy to be handed over to the commission. That he furnish a copy of discharge order under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2007. That he inform whether juvenile was subjected to psychological/psychiatric assessment to assess his mental health. Also the union home secretary was to inform of action taken on representation by Nirbhaya’s parents to the Union Home Minister.

The parents had stated that the juvenile was the most brutal of the offenders and as he was to be released in December they felt that he was a threat to the common man. They demanded a mechanism to check such people from harming the common man. They demanded that laws dealing with women and children be strengthened as the recidivism rate was high.

They wanted the government to protect citizens from delinquent juveniles post release. They wanted laws similar to SORNA (Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act) existing in USA and Canada.

The Commission observed that “complainants have undergone extreme agony and pain after the incident of rape and murder of their daughter and so their fears needed to be looked into.”