Govt to release 'edited version' of Hema panel report

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The culture department will release an edited version of the Justice Hema Committee's report, following the RTI commissioner's order. The names of actresses’ who gave the statement and the names of those against whom the statement was made will be omitted.

Under the supervision of Culture Department Secretary Rajan Khobragade, the assistant secretary will take responsibility for editing the report. Although the State RTI Commissioner Dr AA Abdul Hakeem ordered the release of the report, he also ordered to omit paragraph 96 (page 49), paragraphs 165 to 196 of pages 81 to 100 and the annexure of the committee report. This decision has now turned favourable for the government. It is indicated that there is shocking information in these parts of the report.

Omitting all these crucial pages will leave the report as an assortment of anonymous statements, observations and recommendations.