Mail News Service
New Delhi, April 9 : The Union of India soughed four weeks time as the report of the Commission is being discussed at the highest level of the Government in the Home Ministry, Defense Ministry and the Army Head Quarters considering the sensitivity of the matter. The counsel also stated in the Court the Union of India do not consider the matter as an adverse litigation but would also like to ensure that all the guidelines issued by the authorities are implemented on the ground but to work out this mechanism it will take some time. Court granted 4 weeks for the same.
The Defence Ministry had also come in as a party to the case, as their interest in also affected.
The counsel of the petitioners Colin Gonsalves stated that consultations in the government is not going to make any difference, the only way to change the situation in Manipur by instituting an SIT for at least those cases where the prima facie case of fake encounter is established by judicial inquiries and start prosecution of the perpetrators. In this connection the petitioner have submitted a list of 33 such cases. Please find the full text of the submission from the side of the petitioners attached here.
SC has asked the Manipur government to furnish the copies of the report of the Commission of Inquires conducted under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 which are not yet made public.
SC has also asked the NHRC Chairman to visit Manipur as take action on the very serious Human Rights situation in the State.Meanwhile NDTV reports that the Supreme Court today reiterated its concern over the alleged fake encounters in Manipur. A Public Interest Litigation, which says more than 1,500 fake encounters have taken place in Manipur in the last three decades, had asked for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the encounter killings in the state.
“We can’t tell you how sorrowful we are. What is the use of sitting here? Everything appears meaningless,” the Supreme Court said today. The Supreme Court in January had appointed a three-member committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde to examine six cases of encounter killings that took place between 2009 and 2010. The committee in its report had said that the encounters, which resulted in killing of seven people, were fake and the victims did not have any criminal background. The committee also reportedly recommended withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the state.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the National Human Rights Council (NHRC) and the Centre. The NHRC had asked the Supreme Court to prosecute those responsible for these killings. The court had asked an NHRC team to visit Manipur.
The Centre today told the Supreme court that Justice Hegde commission’s report will be placed before the Cabinet committee on security, headed by the PM. The Centre also assured the court it will come up with a list of Dos and Don’ts for the security forces deployed in Manipur. It has asked for four weeks’ time to submit its reply.
The Manipur government had asked the Supreme Court to lay down guidelines in the case. The Supreme Court slammed the demand, saying, “How many times has this court laid down guidelines? Tragedy is guidelines are not followed. We want to proceed further and these things should not happen in future. These deaths reveal a pattern of carelessness.
There is no respect for human lives.”
The Centre had earlier opposed the formation of a commission to probe the alleged fake encounters and had pitched for an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The Supreme Court had rejected the appeal.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/govt-seeks-four-weeks-on-fake-encounter-case/
