Some of them are advocates and murder case accused

The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday dismissed en masse 16 anticipatory bail applications filed by people accused of deceiving the gullible by misusing the words ‘human rights’ in name boards and letterheads of non-governmental organisations run by them.

Justice P.N. Prakash refused to grant the relief to any of them on the ground that they should be necessarily subjected to custodial interrogation. He also observed that “all people can be fooled sometimes, some people can be fooled at all times but all people cannot be fooled at all times.”

Shocked that some of the petitioners were advocates, and some others were murder case accused, the judge pointed out that in the recent years, “it was observed that name boards and banners bearing titles such as ‘human rights organisation’ have suddenly mushroomed in every nook and cranny of the State.

“Self-proclaimed human rights activists have surfaced everywhere, flying the flag of the United Nations and other organisations on their vehicles… and including the names of eminent personalities such as former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer and Justice P.N. Bhagwati in their letterheads.

“With visiting cards and letter pads so printed, these individuals are emboldened to interfere not only in public affairs but also in the affairs of the common man. No one dared to question them fearing that they are part of the State machinery.”

The issue came to the adverse notice of National Human Rights Commission, which on September 25, 2009, and December 29, 2010, asked the State government to crack down on such dubious organisations and make sure that no private organisation used the words ‘human rights’ in its name.

Subsequently, the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission itself lodged complaints against as many as 16 organisations across the State for misusing the term. “All these measures did not deter the petitioners herein from closing down their shops and they were continuing to carry on with their activities with impunity under the very nose of the police, perhaps with their blessings,” the judge added.

He also recorded the submission of advocate Veera Kathiravan, appointed as amicus curiae , that the dubious organisations diverted funds received from abroad for their subversive activities.

Some of the petitioners were advocates, and some others were murder case accused