NHRC sources told UNI that taking cognizance of a report appearing in a newspaper that the boy, Rahul, was beaten up mercilessly at Alwarganj Gate police station of Ajmer by some police officials, the commission asked the government to pay compensation to the boy through her mother.

The report published in October six, 1997 edition of Dainik Bhaskar stated that Rahul's father Pradeep Sharma was arrested and detained at the police station in a case of theft involving one gas cylinder and Rs 450. When his wife Sunita went to the police station to enquire about her husband, she was asked to bring Rs 2,500 towards the cost of the cylinder and the stolen cash.

However, she could not pay the amount and returned to her place and wassleeping with her four children when at about 2200 hrs the SHO, SI Dinesh Vohra, sent two constables to bring her to the police station. When Sunita reached there with Rahul she was asked to deposit Rs 2,500. On her plea that she could not arrange the amount, she was asked to part with her gold chain and earrings. Policemen allegedly misbehaved with her and Rs 500 was snatched from her purse, the report alleged.

At this Rahul became emotional and dared to ask the SI from where his mother could bring this money. This prompted the policemen to beat up Rahul mercilessly at the police station. When Sunita approached the District Magistrate, he ordered a medical examination which revealed that the boy had as many as 14 injuries and fracture in the wrist.

However, when the NHRC issued notice to the state government seeking its response within four weeks, a report sent by the superintendent of police, Ajmer said that Sunita had come to the police station with her mother, brother and a neighbour. When she wasgiven the information regarding her husband's arrest, she refused to accept written information and instead threatened the SI to falsely implicate him in the court.

The report further stated that Rahul was not brought to the police station nor Sunita was called there as alleged in the complaint. Rahul was beaten up by her mother to manipulate a case against the police and all other allegations of snatching of cash and ornaments could not be substantiated, it added.

However, the NHRC found this report self-contradictory as it said that Sunita thrashed her son at the police station making him unconscious to falsely implicate the policemen and a reference of it was made in the JD. At the same time it also said that the presence of Rahul in the police station could not be substantiated. If Rahul was not present in the police station, how could he be thrashed and a report regarding this registered in the JD, The commission wondered.

Besides, it appeared improbable to the commission that Sunita could havecaused such grievous injuries to her son with the sole purpose of implicating policemen, especially when her husband was in the lock up and she herself was distressed. It was substantiated that injuries were caused to Rahul at the police station as he was medically examined under the orders of the DM so there was no probability of them being self-inflicted, the NHRC said. Besides, the complainant's version to have parted with ornaments to compensate for Rs 2,500 for which her husband was detained seemed more probable to the commission, the sources said.