Petitioners press panel for inclusion of 12-point suggestions in its report
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 26, 2013:
Even as the three-member Supreme Court appointed independent Inquiry Commission probing into six cases of extrajudicial killings in Manipur is likely to submit its report to the Supreme Court in first week of April this year, petitioners have pressed for taking into consideration of 12 points while finalizing the report for submission.
Addressing media persons in this regard, Babloo Loitongbam, Executive Director of Human Rights Alert (HRA) stated that in September 2012, Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families' Association, Manipur (EEVFAM) along with HRA filed a petition in the Supreme Court along with listing 1528 cases of extra-judicial executions in Manipur since 1979 praying for an independent body for investigation.
Based on the petition, the Supreme Court has appointed Commission headed by Justice N Santosh Hegde, former Judge of Supreme Court as chairman and JM Lyngdoh, former Chief Election Commissioner and Dr Ajay Kumar Singh, IPS retired DGP and IGP of Karnataka as members.
After cross examining dozens of affidavits submitted by the victims as well as the security forces in the six cases, the Commission wrapped up its hearing on March 21.Nonetheless, after completion of cross examining the affidavits, the Commission has further called for submission of affidavits from all those willing petitioners in connection with the extra judicial killings along with relevant proofs.
Accordingly, EEVFAM and HRA have submitted a 12-point suggestion to the Commission for inclusion at the time of finalizing its report to be submitted to the Supreme Court, which is expected in the first week of April, Babloo disclosed.
Babloo informed that the main suggestions put forward include appointment of Special investigation teams consisting of 25 senior investigation officers from outside the State of Manipur to take up investigation and prosecution of 25 serious cases where it has been alleged that fake encounters have taken place; establishment of separate 9 district Courts to function exclusively as Human Rights Courts so that these criminal proceedings are completed within a period of 6 months; to declare that the custodial killings and other human rights atrocities when committed require non sanction for prosecution either under CrPC or UAPA or AFSPA as the commission of a human rights atrocity has nothing to do with the performance of public duty; the State should communicate its order regarding the grant of sanction within 30 days of the application for sanction, in all other cases where sanction is necessary; the National and State Legal Aid Services Authorities should provide lawyers with a fair practice at the Bar and with at least 5 years of experience; a system of registering FIRs through e-mails, registered posts and other convenient methods and at public places other than police stations; the victims and their families of human rights atrocities shall be taken under the care and protection for the Special State Unit for Victim and Witness Protection; the State should extend the existing social welfare schemes to help the victims and their families to reconstruct their lives etc.
Babloo also disclosed that during the hearing of the Commission conducted from March 13 to21 at Delhi not a single Assam Rifles witness was present.
During the proceedings of the Commission at New Delhi, the defence lawyer, legal representative of the petitioners and members of the Commission jointly discussed about the overall functioning of security forces in Manipur, apart from the issue of AFSPA.
When the Commission asked both the Defence Ministry and Home Ministry why AFSPA was not removed from Manipur, the ministries said it was under consideration, Babloo cited the legal representative of the petitioners as saying.
It also raised a serious question to the two ministries as to why the seven-year - old Jeevan Reddy Commission report on AFSPA was not presented in the Parliament till date, Babloo informed.
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