NEW DELHI: National Human Rights Commission on Friday directed Delhi government to pay Rs 25,000 each to 12 African women who were “victims of racial prejudice and unlawful acts” by the then law minister Somnath Bharti during his controversial midnight raid in south Delhi’s Khirki Extension in January.

NHRC has also observed that the women were “abused racially” and Bharti, prima facie, violated the provisions of law while holding the constitutional post. “The commission has recommended monetary relief of Rs 25,000 each to 12 African women, victims of racial prejudice and unlawful acts by Somnath Bharti with his supporters at Khirki Extension in the intervening night of January 15 and 16,” an official NHRC statement said.

The commission viewed that human rights of the African women were violated and hence it was a fit case for award of monetary relief. The commission has asked Delhi government, through its chief secretary, to submit compliance report along with proof of payment within eight weeks.

After considering the reports of BL Garg, retired Additional District and Sessions Judge, and its own investigation team, the commission observed that the then law minister with his supporters humiliated the African women and wrongfully confined them in a vehicle on the ground that they were indulging in sex racket and drug trafficking.

“But when they were illegally searched by a lady doctor at AIIMS, no drug could be recovered. They were also abused racially,” the statement said.

Bharti, however, has raised several objections to the NHRC order. “NHRC has jumped to some unjustified conclusions without having followed the principles of natural justice, which required at least taking my version. The matter is subjudice and it is beyond any reasonable understanding that NHRC has arrived at conclusions without waiting for the outcome of court proceedings. I have filed an application seeking reinvestigation and a probe into the role of the police. When the matter is before a court of law, which has reserved its judgment, it is strange that NHRC proceeded in unjustified haste. It appears to be an attempt to influence the court proceedings,” he said.

Bharti said that he has submitted video and documentary evidence of entire incident in his application filed in the Saket court which “directly contradicts the bizarre language used in the NHRC press release.” He added, “NHRC has attributed some highly objectionable and defamatory acts to me, which I never committed, and I reserve the right to take suitable legal action.”

