Chandigarh, July 21 (IANS) Taking serious note of a disturbing complaint, the Haryana Human Rights Commission, on Monday, issued a strong directive in favour of an 82-year-old Arjan Dev Aggarwal and his 72-year-old wife Vijay Aggarwal, both residents of Sector-9 in Panchkula, who have accused their son and daughter-in-law of sustained mental harassment, neglect and coercion to transfer property.

According to the complaint, despite being elderly and suffering from severe health conditions requiring multiple surgeries, the couple has been subjected to isolation, verbal abuse, and psychological trauma while living under the same roof with their son and daughter-in-law.

The complainants allege they were threatened to move into an old-age home and were even falsely implicated in a domestic violence case.

They had also filed an application for eviction under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, before the Senior Citizen Tribunal in Panchkula on January 18 but have received no relief till now.

The commission said that under Section 4 of the Act, senior citizens are entitled to claim maintenance from their children; under Section 23 any property transferred on the condition of care, if not fulfilled, can be declared null and void; and also Section 24 makes it a punishable offence to abandon a senior citizen.

Justice Lalit Batra, Chairperson of the Haryana Human Rights Commission, noted that such treatment is not only a violation of the 2007 Act but also a gross infringement of Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the right to live with dignity.

He termed the conduct of the respondents as a clear case of abuse, neglect, and coercion.

In light of the prima facie evidence of abuse against elderly persons, the commission has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Panchkula, Monika Gupta, to ensure immediate protection to the elderly couple through local police or other concerned authorities, expedite proceedings before the Senior Citizen Tribunal and provide necessary administrative assistance and submit an action-taken report to the commission before the next date of hearing.

Puneet Arora, Protocol, Information and Public Relations Officer of the commission, told that the next hearing in the case has been scheduled for September 23 and copies of the commission’s order have been sent to the Deputy Commissioner and the Commissioner of Police of Panchkula, Sibash Kabiraj, as well as to the complainants for necessary compliance.

–IANS

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