EEVFAM decries silence of State Govt
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 20 2019:
Extrajudicial Execution Victims Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM), organised a one day public meeting on 'Silence of the Government of Manipur on prosecution sanction in extrajudicial executions' at Manipur Press Club today.
The meeting was attended by EEVFAM general secretary Edina Waikhom, cultural activist Ningthouja Lancha and Nupi Samaj president Th Ramani as well as leaders and representatives of various CSOs.
The meeting resolved that extrajudicial execution cannot be termed as a discharge of official duty and prosecution sanctions are only limited to those public servants not removable without prior sanction of the Government.
Any police personnel who is directly or indirectly involved in the conspiracy of the extrajudicial execution cannot claim protection behind the garb of discharge of official duty.
The meeting further resolved that prosecution sanction is meant only to provide protection of public servant from frivolous and speculative allegations and is not meant to provide an umbrella to the misuse and abuse of powers by the public servant.
The present issue is about granting prosecution sanction in cases where NHRC and High Court have already found the incidents to be fake encounters and moreover, the CBI has already filed charge sheets after thorough investigation based on materials on record and witnesses' statement.
It was decided that the delay in granting prosecution sanction is not in the interest of justice and will amount to shielding the police personnel for their criminal acts and inordinate delay or withholding prosecution sanction will lead to public anger against the Government.
The meeting further resolved that once the prosecution is sought/applied, the Government is obliged to give a decision either by granting or denying the prosecution sanction at the earliest.
Thorough, prompt, impartial and independent investigation and prosecution of perpetrators or extrajudicial execution is an obligation of the State under the international law, the meeting concluded, demanding the State Government to grant prosecution sanction for the police personnel who have been indicted in the CBI charge sheets without any further delay or to issue necessary instructions in the interest of justice.