NHRC Orders ₹7.5 Lakh Compensation to Amreli Woman in Viral Letter Row

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered the Gujarat government to pay ₹7.5 lakh in compensation to Payal Goti after holding police guilty of alleged illegal arrest and public parade following a political letter controversy in Amreli.

A three-judge panel of the commission issued the direction after finding that law enforcement authorities committed a gross violation of fundamental rights during their probe into a fake letter targeting local legislator and now-minister Kaushik Vekaria.

Illegal Arrest and Public Humiliation

The case traces back to the circulation of a forged letterhead targeting BJP MLA Kaushik Vekaria on social media platforms. Following the incident, Amreli police detained Goti, a young Patidar woman, allegedly bypassing statutory safeguards governing the arrest of women.

Witness statements and complaints submitted to the panel revealed that officers paraded Goti through public streets under the guise of an investigation. She was subsequently confined inside a room and assaulted with a belt, reportedly acting on instructions from political handlers.

Political Backlash Across Saurashtra

The high-handed police action sparked heavy political fallout across the Saurashtra region. Several prominent leaders, including senior BJP figure Dileep Sanghani, dispatched formal representations to the Chief Minister protesting the heavy-handed treatment of a young woman.

Opposition figures, led by former Gujarat Congress president Paresh Dhanani, staged demonstrations demanding accountability. Criticism also mounted against Vekaria, who was later inducted into the state cabinet despite the controversy surrounding the investigation.

Commission Mandates Financial Redressal

Following a special hearing in Gandhinagar, the NHRC bench concluded that police officers had committed severe procedural lapses and abused their power.

The commission ruled that the victim suffered physical torture and public humiliation in direct violation of human rights safeguards. State authorities have been directed to disburse the ₹7.5 lakh compensation to Goti immediately.

Also Read:

Amreli letter row: Three police official suspended, SMC takes over probe
Patidar leaders rally for woman accused in Amreli bogus letter row
Congress leader claims letter involving Patidar woman in Amreli was real, seeks FSL report