The Commission considered this report, the post mortem examination report and the statements of witnases examined by the City Magistrate during the course of inquiry. In the post mortem report, the doctor concerned had given the cause of death as malnutrition (starvation). The witnesses examined by the City Magistrate included the mother of the child, sister-in-law, matron of the women's ward of the jail, the Deputy Supdt. of the jail and others. None of these witnesses put any Mame on anyone. However, the mother of the deceased child categorically deposed that she did not get the diet to which she was entitled immediately after the delivery a d that, in turn, she was unable to provide the requisite nourishment to the sucking child. The Commission noted that this, coupled with the opinion of the doctor conducting the post-mortem, wuld point a finger on the question of adequacy and quality of the diet which was giwn to the mother of the deceased child during her stay in the jail. The Commission arrived at the view that the death of the infant child could not be said to be 'natural', but was attributable to malnutrition (starvation) which, the Commission believed, must have occurred due to inadequacies in the quality and quantity of food served to the mother and, hence the child. The Commission thus held the jail authorities guilty of violating their duties and obligations, as they.wem under an obligation to take special care of the infant child which was only 10 days old when brought to the jail alongwith the mother. The Commission thus deemed appropriate to recommend that State of Haryana pay the mother a sum of Rs.20,000/- by way of 'immediate interim relief'. POLICE HARASSMENT, INACTION AND NEGLIGENCE Pollce Harassment of Shri Shakunl Choudhary, MLA, Bihar (Case CJ0.641195-96/NHRC) The Commission received a complaint from Shri Shakuni Choudhary and Shri ~ e o r ~ e Fernandes of the Samata Party alleging harassment by police of Shri Shakuni Choudhary and members of his family. The Commission called for reports from the DQP Bihar as well as from its own investigation team. On considering the investigationreports, the Commission recommendedthat immediate departmental action be taken against the erring police officers, including a Dy. S.P. and SHO, for harassing Shri Shakuni Choudhary, and attaching his property without justification. The Commission directed the DGP Bihar to report within four months on the results of the departmental inquiry. The Commission, convinced that Shri Shakuni Choudhary and members of his family had been tortured and their dignity towered, recommended a consolidated sum of Rs.25,000/- by way of compensation and directed the Government of Bihar to make the payment to the complainant. The Government complied with the direction, upon further interventions by the Commission, and paid the sum of Rs.25,0001- to Shri Choudhary. Departmentat proceedings against the erring police officers were also initiated.