Annual Report 1999-2000 4. In its proceedings of IS June 1999, the Commission expressed serious concern that the efiforts to apprehend Veerappan continued to result in frequent complaints that innocent villagers and tribals, living in the area of operation of the JSTF constituted by the State Governments ofTamil Nadu and Kamataka, were subjected to serious violations of their human rights. The allegations of mistreatment of the^villagers and tribals were serious, as were the facts relating to the 51 detenues languishing in jail under TADA, who still awaited the start of their trials, though 34 of them had been there since 1993. The Commission also expressed its dismay at the continued detention without trial, for a considerable period of time, of the persons held under TADA in the Mysore Central Jail. It urged that the reasons for this delay, which reportedly relate to the venue of the trial and related security considerations, be resolved expeditiously. The Commission underlined the great importance that the Hon'ble Supreme Court itself attaches to expeditious trial, and to the vital relevance of such trial to a proper respect for human rights of those concerned. 5. With regard to the circumstances, the Commission felt the need for the Constitution of a panel of ttvo eminent persons, one drawn fh>m the judiciary and the other having experience at the highest levels of the police, to look into all relevant aspects of the allegations. In its proceedings of 28 June 1999, the Commisssion requested Justice Shri AJ. Sadashiva, former Judge of the High Court of Karnataka (presently the Executive Chairman, Kamataka Legal Services Authority) to be| the Chairman of the panel. The Commission also requested Shri C.V. Narsimhan, former Direaor, CBI, to be a member of the panel. The State Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were requested to extend necessary cooperation and assistance to the panel, which commenced its work. 6. However, a writ petition was filed before the High Court of Kamataka, challenging the jurisdiction of the panel. On 27 March 2000, the High Court passed an interim order staying further proceedings of the panel. 7. The Commission intends to pursue this matter further. Illegal arrest, unlatoful custody and death of a young person: Madhya Pradesh {Case No. 1432/I2/97-98/NHRC) The Commission was informed of the death of an undertrial prisoner Ram Bhajan Gupta in the Central Jail of Bhopal through a report sent to the Commission by the Additional District Magistrate of Bhopal. Pursuant to the Commission's directions, the Government of Madhya Pradesh sent the Magisterial enquiry report, along with the post-mortem and other repons, to the Commission. On pemsal of the reports, the Commission noted that there was a dispute between police personnel and the victim's father over the payment of money for tea from the latter's teashop. Shri Gupta, who had apparently protested over the non-payment, had been arrested along with his father by the police on a series of charges under the 104