The minority and human rights organisations in the state are not particularly perturbed by the plight of Aftab Alam Ansari. Arrested on the false charge of being a terrorist, the 26-year-old was tortured in custody for over 20 days.

Metro reported on Wednesday that Aftab could not stand for more than 15 minutes, as “third-degree” torture in the custody of Uttar Pradesh police had left him with a deformity in his legs.

All that the various commissions and champions of rights — from Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen to CPM MP Mohammed Salim — could offer on Wednesday was “we are looking into the matter”.

Soon after his release from a Lucknow prison on January 17 (he was picked up on December 27 from Calcutta), Aftab had lodged a complaint with the West Bengal Human Rights Commission.

Commission chairman Sen had asked the home secretary to submit a report. “I don’t remember whether it has come. We receive hundreds of complaints every month and it’s difficult to remember the details of each. I’ll find out tomorrow,” Sen told Metro.

The state minorities commission has failed to fulfil its promise of starting a case against the CID for picking up the Baranagar resident on a request from Uttar Pradesh police without checking the youth’s antecedents.

“Let’s see what we can do,” said Z. Adnan, the chairman of the commission. Has the panel started the case against the CID? “We are looking into it,” said Adnan.

Local MLA Sadhan Pandey had arranged a meeting of Aftab and his mother Ayesha Begum with chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who promised to ensure that the guilty officers were punished.

“But the proceedings are yet to start,” said an officer.

Local MP Mohammad Salim, who has not met Aftab, reiterated that the guilty officers must be punished.