Chandigarh, July 24 -- Four years after a differently-abled man was stripped, photographed, and filmed in a semi-naked state while in police custody, the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has ruled that the state government must pay Rs.50,000 as compensation for the severe violation of his human rights. The man, a Chartered Accountant (CA), was subjected to public humiliation and mistreatment by police officials in Faridabad. The incident occurred on May 24, 2021, after the man was arrested in connection with a matrimonial dispute filed by his wife. She had lodged a criminal case against him under Sections 406 and 498-A of the IPC, alleging harassment and dowry-related offenses. Later, the man filed a divorce petition, which was later withdrawn during conciliation proceedings. However, his wife subsequently registered another FIR in June 2021, accusing him of stalking and criminal intimidation. In its order on July 16, the full bench of the HHRC, comprising chairperson justice Lalit Batra (retd) and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, said that two police officials, an assistant sub-inspector and a constable rank official, had compelled the man to undress in a public area of the police premises, despite his requests to be allowed privacy. "The man described the experience as 'akin to a living death,' subjected to severe humiliation in full public view," reads the order. According to HHRC, the action of the police officials involved - ASI Jagwati and constable Rakesh Kumar - amounted to a blatant violation of the man's right to dignity and privacy, both protected under human rights laws. The commission found that the police had no legitimate reason to force the man to undress and strip him of his clothing in front of others. Such an act, without legal or medical justification, directly contravenes established custodial guidelines. The commission also expressed concern over the unauthorised videography and photography of the man in a semi-nude condition by his brother-in-law who later circulated them on social media, further exacerbating the violation of his dignity and privacy. "This act, carried out in the presence of others and without lawful necessity or judicial sanction, is a direct affront to the complainant's right to dignity and privacy," the HHRC's order states. The commission's findings, backed by an internal investigation, indicated that the police officials failed to discharge their duties properly. It also noted that the man, being an educated and professional individual, would not have voluntarily undressed in such a public setting. The HHRC pointed out that the incident occurred under clear duress, highlighting the negligence and misconduct of the police officials. In its final ruling, the commission ordered the Haryana home department to compensate the victim with Rs.50,000, acknowledging the violation of his rights and the lasting emotional trauma caused by the incident. However, the commission clarified that this compensation is not meant to represent the full extent of the harm suffered by the man but serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of the severe breach of his dignity. The commission also highlighted that the Haryana home department failed to respond to the show cause notice issued against the police officials involved, further questioning the state's commitment to addressing custodial misconduct....