EEVFAM and HRA appeal
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 17 2019: The Extrajudicial Execution Victim Families Association (EEVFAM) and Human Rights Alert (HRA) have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister appealing to grant prosecution sanction of the indicted police personnel involved in the fake encounter/extrajudicial killings cases.

EEVFAM and HRA mentioned that the trial of the police personnel indicted by the CBI has been delayed at the Sessions Court Imphal East and Chief Judicial Magistrate, Thoubal, on the plea of the accused that the State Government has not granted prosecution sanction.

The CBI also stated in the Court that they had applied for the prosecution sanction and the same was awaited, it added.

It then recalled that the issue of obtaining prosecution sanction was raised by Justice UU Lalit in the course of hearing the case in the Supreme Court and the CBI clarified to the apex Court that prosecution sanction is not required as fake encounter is not a part of its official duty.

However, in the proceedings before the Courts in Manipur, the counsel of the accused, referring to section 22 of the Police Act under Assam Police Manual, insisted on obtaining the prosecution sanction reasoning that police officers are' always on duty and may be employed at any part of the general police district.

It continued that the issue of not granting prosecution sanction by the State Government is causing unnecessary delay in the ongoing trial and added that this particular issue will crop up time and again as more than 50 police personnel are lined up to face trial and the list is likely to grow even longer as more charge sheets are likely to be filed by CBI in the near future.

As such, the memo appealed to the Chief Minister to instruct the Chief Secretary (Home) to immediately grant prosecution sanction to allow prompt and unhindered prosecution of the police personnel without any further delay.

It continued that such kind of action will only be in line with the pre-poll political commitment of BJP Manipur Pradesh, which was published in the form of a charge sheet against the then ruling Congress party towards the countdown of the last Manipur Assembly election prominently highlighting the un-investigated 1528 cases of fake encounter.

It also reminded the Chief Minister that he had repeatedly assured in various public forum that no one responsible for human rights violations will be spared from the wrath of law.

It further conveyed that EEVFAM, HRA and the people of Manipur will remain ever grateful to the CM if he keeps his promise, which will help in dismantling the barriers of impunity in the march for justice in Manipur.

Comment