Extrajudicial Killings :: Centre seeks 4 week's time to respond on panel report
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Agencies
Imphal/New Delhi, April 09 2013:
The Union of India has sought 4 weeks' time for its response to the report of the Supreme Court- appointed Inquiry Committee into fake encounter killings in Manipur, maintaining that the report 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 report of the Inquiry Committee had categorically pointed out that all the six cases of alleged encounter killings selected from a list of more than 1500 such cases listed for probe are all fake.
In the hearing of the Public Interest Litigation filed by EEVFAM in this regard in the Supreme Court today, the Centre assured the apex court that the report of the three-member Inquiry Committee headed by Justice Santosh Hegde would be placed before the Cabinet Committee on security headed by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and a list of Dos and Don'ts for the security forces deployed in Manipur would be put in place.
Accordingly, it asked for four weeks' time to submit its response on the report of the Inquiry Committee.
The counsel stated that Union of India does not consider the matter as an adverse litigation but would 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.
Accordingly, the apex court granted four week's time.
It may be noted here that 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 noted that consultations in the government is not going to make any difference, the only way to change the situation in Manipur is by instituting a SIT for at least those cases which have been established prima facie as fake encounters for judicial inquiries and start prosecution of the perpetrators.
In this connection, the petitioners have submitted a list of 33 such cases.
The Supreme Court reiterated its concern over fake encounters in Manipur and "We can't tell you how sorrowful we are.
What is the use of sitting here? Everything appears meaningless" .
The apex court asked the Government of Manipur to furnish the copies of reports of all the Commission of Inquiries conducted under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 but have not yet been made public.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court directed the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to visit Manipur so as to take necessary action on the serious Human Rights situation in the State.
It may be noted that here 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 recommended withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the state.
The Manipur government had asked the Supreme Court to lay down guidelines in the case.
But the apex 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 committee to probe alleged fake encounters and had pitched for an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which the Supreme Court rejected.