Bhagalpur: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of the custodial death last year of Mahesh Mandal, former nazir at the district welfare department. In a letter to the Bhagalpur district magistrate (DM) and superintendent of special camp jail, it has sought Mandal's histopathological reports and videos of his autopsy.

The 57-year-old former nazir was arrested by a special investigation team (SIT) probing the Srijan scam on August 15, 2017. Mandal died five days later in police custody, for lack of proper treatment, allege his family members. The SIT holds him responsible for fraudulent withdrawal of crores of government money from the district welfare department.

Taking cognizance of the complaint by Mandal's relatives, the NHRC had written to the district magistrate and superintendent of the special camp jail on March 23 and June 4, respectively, and demanded video CDs of Mandal's autopsy and histopathological reports.

His family members allege Mandal was on regular 3-day interval dialysis.

"After his arrest, dialysis was conducted on August 15, 2017, at a private nursing home here. The next dialysis was scheduled for August 17 but wasn't done. Without dialysis he could not pass urine and he died, mainly because of police negligence," a family member alleged.

Since Mandal was in jail, jail authorities were responsible for his timely dialysis. The jail authorities approached Bhagalpur chief judicial magistrate (CJM) for permission but didn't conduct the dialysis and allegedly blamed JLNMC hospital for the delay.

NHRC, in recent letters to the DM and superintendent of local special camp jail asked for the video and reports to be furnished within the next 4 weeks. DM Pranav Kumar was not available but his office sources said NHRC has threatened summons and appropriate action if the required items are not furnished on time.