SC's order on fake encounter significant: HRA
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 14 2015 : The Supreme Court's order asking the Centre, Manipur Government and the National Human Rights Commission to submit a comprehensive report on alleged fake encounter cases in the state, including 62 such cases where FIRs have not even been lodged, comes as a big relief to the victims' families.

Reacting to the Supreme Court order, Human Rights Alert (HRA) Director Babloo Loitongbam said the last hearing in the apex court on the Extra-Judicial Execution Victims' Families Association (EEVFAM) case is significant.

The court taking deeper interest and seeking details of the 62 cases is indeed encouraging.

In the proceeding, the Supreme Court has also 'definitively' over ruled the efforts of the State Government and the Central government to undermine the findings of the Santosh Hedge Commission, said Babloo.

He also expressed the hope that the Supreme Court would constitute a Special Investigation Team ISIT) to initiate criminal investigation in each of the cases of extrajudicial executions.

This is the first necessary step towards justice and peace in Manipur, the HRA Director said.

It may be mentioned that the Apex Court also rapped the state government for not doing enough in the matter, including providing compensation, and said it was a fact that these were encounters, whether "fake or genuine".

The bench had observed that these cases were not cases related to "natural deaths" and asked the respondents why they have been keeping quiet.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for EEVFAM had stated that in all these 62 cases, not a single FIR has been lodged against any of the accused.

The bench has now fixed the PIL for further hearing on August 3 .

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