Allegation of bias against NHRC panel not material: Calcutta High Court judge

“This court has considered not only the report of the Committee but other materials as well and arguments of learned Counsel based thereon,” Justice Mukerji observed.

Penning his observations in a concurring judgement on handing over of the investigation into heinous crimes in post-poll violence in West Bengal to the CBI, Justice IP Mukerji said the allegation of bias against the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) committee was not material. Justice Mukerji of the Calcutta High Court observed the committee constituted by the NHRC had only power under the order of the five-judge Bench to report on facts as gathered by them on investigation. “The allegation of bias against the Committee is not material because this court has considered not only the report of the Committee but other materials as well and arguments of learned Counsel based thereon,” Justice Mukerji observed in the concurring judgement passed by the Bench on a clutch of PILs, seeking independent probe into alleged post-poll violence and compensation to victims.