Rights groups knock CM door seeking prosecution of police fund raisers

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 30

Human Rights activists urged the chief minister, N. Biren Singh to initiate criminal proceeding against the police officers who allegedly collected fund to fight the alleged fake encounter cases which are being investigated by the CBI.

The human rights groups also submitted a memorandum today to the chief minister, who is in charge of home department in this regard.

The groups are Extra-judicial Execution Victim Families Association, Human Rights Alert, Working Committee of Apunba Lup and Just Peace Foundation.

The memorandum asked the chief minister to clarify to the public if the act of collecting the fund is carried out with the consent of the chief minister.

Speaking to media persons today at Manipur Press Club, Human Rights Alert executive director, Babloo Loitongbam said that the collection of fund by the police to fight the fake encounter cases is diametrically opposite to the state policy of the government.

The chief minister assured on the floor of the House that the government will fully cooperate with CBI investigation into the fake encounter cases and bring justice to the victims and the same assurance is also given by the BJP state unit during the assembly election, he added.

Babloo claimed that the collection of fund amounts to “extortion” by high level police officer from lower ranks of police department by “abusing authority and power” to seal off the “murderers in uniform.”

Such action to seal off some “murderers” from police department is defaming the whole department though there are many innocent and honest police personnel, said Babloo.

Senior advocate, Khaidem Mani said that the collection of fund to help the police personnel who were allegedly involved in the fake encounter cases instead of helping the CBI in their inquiry is very unfortunate.

He appealed to the chief minister to take action against those police officers before the public think that all police personnel including the innocent ones are all criminal.

In its judgement the Supreme Court on July 14 directed the CBI to constitute a special investigation team to investigate 98 cases among the 1528 cases filed by  Extra-judicial Execution Victim Families Association. The CBI was asked to submit report by December 31.