Complaints Before the Commission ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 4.129 Baby Vineetha (minor) represented by her father, Balan, along with seven others filed a Writ Petition (C) No. 35533/2004 before the High Court of Kerala against the NHRC, the Director, CBI, New Delhi and six other respondents praying for issue of a writ of Mandamus directing the NHRC to invoke its powers under section 13 and 14 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to constitute a special investigation team to entrust the investigation of incidents pertaining to the atrocities committed by the Kerala Police personnel against the petitioner and other tribal children in Wyanad District on or after 19-2-2003, to book the culprits and to prosecute them in accordance with law. A further prayer had been made for issue of Writ of Mandamus for awarding Rs. 10 lakhs as compensation under public law remedy and to recover the amount of compensation from the guilty police personnel. 4.130 While considering the matter on 28/3/2005, the Commission observed that since the report of the CBI was under consideration by the Hon’ble High Court, the Commission could not examine the report and it was not possible to carry out any further investigation by the Commission in accordance with the procedure prescribed under the Code of Criminal Procedure and the scheme of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The matter was still pending consideration before the High Court at the time of writing of the Annual Report. 21. 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 andKarnataka to apprehend Veerappan and associates. (Case No.222/10/97-98, Case No.534/22/9798, Case No. 795/22/97-98, Case No. 249/10/97-98, Case No. 79/10/99-2000) 4.131 The Commission in its Annual Report for the year 1999-2000 had reported about a number of communications, both from individuals and from NGOs, concerning activities of the sandal wood smuggler, Veerappan and efforts of the Joint Special Task Force (JSTF) of the States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to apprehend him. A constant theme in the communications and complaints received by the Commission had been the harassment caused to the villagers and tribals in the area of operation of the JSTF and the violation of their human rights. 4.132 The Commission, while expressing serious concern about the efforts to apprehend Veerappan resulting in frequent complaints that innocent villagers and tribals, living in the area of operation of the JSTF, were subjected to serious violations of their human rights, felt the need for the constitution of a panel of two eminent persons and accordingly, vide proceedings dated 28-6-99, constituted a panel comprising of Justice Shri A. J. Sadashiva, former judge of the High Court of Karnataka and Shri C. V. Narasimhan, former Director of CBI as member of the panel. 4.133 On 02.12.03, Justice Shri A.J. Sadashiva Panel submitted its report to the Commission. 48 AR-Chapter-1-19-10-6-06.p65 National Human Rights Commission Annual Report - 2004-2005 68 7/17/06, 6:29 PM