Annual Report 1999-2000 Allegations of death, rape and torture of tribals as a result of actions of the joint task force set up by the Governments of Tamil Nadu and Kamataka to apprehend Veerappan and his associates (Case No. 222/10/97-98, Case No. 534/22/97-98, Case No. 795/22/97-98, Case No. 249/10/97-98, Case No. 79/10/99-2000) 1. Since mid-1997, the Commission had received a number of communications, both from individuals and from NGOs, concerning the activities of the sandalwood smuggler, Veerappan, and the efforts of the Joint Special Task Force (JSTF) of the States of Tamil Nadu and Kamataka to apprehend him. A constant theme in the communications has been the harassment caused to the villagers and tribals in the area of operation of the JSTF, and the violation of their human rights. 2. Brief summary of the complaints received: The Commission received complaints from Smt Govindamma and Shri A. Mahaboob Batcha, Managing Tmstee of the Society for Community Organization Trust, who transmitted a letter from Justice Shri V.R. Krishna Iyer, formerJudge of tire Supreme Court; Shri VP. Gunasekharan, State General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Tribal Peoples Associadon; Dr. S. Ramadoss; along with three members of Parliament and two members of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu; and Dr. D.M. Chandrashekhar, a retired Chief Justice of Kamataka High Court. Their allegations include killing, rape, molestation, torture, harassment, false implicadon imder TADA and detention for long periods under TADA without trial of tribals and innocent hill people by the personnel of the JSTF. 3. Actions taken by the Commission: The action taken by the Commission in response to the communications received is summarised belo^v: i. On receipt of the complaint from Smt Govindamma, the Commission, on 26 May 1998, directed its DG(I) to collect the facts. Upon the State Government being contacted, the office of the Commandant of the JSTF, in a response dated 17 June 1999, indicated that the husband of the complainant was arrested by the JSTF on 25 April 1993, as there was sufficient evidence of his deep involvement with the activities of Veerappan and his gang. He had been produced before the designated court in Mysore and was not innocent, as claimed by the complainant. While denying any use of third degree methods, the Task Force report stated that on production before the TADA court, the complainant's husband had not complained of any ill-treatment by the police. Following an analysis of the^report, and in the light of the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the DG(1) recommended that the case of the complainant's husband may be taken up by the Review Committee, as he had been categorized as a B-class prisoner and had been in jail continuously for more than five years. The. Commission also requested Shri Sankar Sen, Special Rapporteur, to offer his comments in the matter. He opined that the Commission may direct the State 100