Why no arrest in Manipur encounters, SC asks CBI
New Delhi, July 30: The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the CBI for not making any arrests and slow pace of investigation into alleged extra- judicial killings by security forces in Manipur, asking it to arrest and hold custodial interrogation of the accused if required as “we are dealing with life and death of people”.
CBI director Alok Kumar Verma, who was summoned to explain why the agency had failed to file the chargesheet in four cases that allegedly involved the Army and the Assam Rifles by the due date — July 27, told the court that 14 persons have been chargesheeted for alleged murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence in two fake encounter cases.
The bench then asked
the CBI director, “Have you arrested anybody?”
When Mr Verma said, “No”, the bench of Justices M. B. Lokur and U. U. Lalit shot back, “According to the CBI, there are at least four murderers roaming free in Manipur. What will happen to the society if this is allowed?”
Mr Verma told the bench that no arrest had been made because there
was nothing to be recovered from the accused. “There are no statements. These cases date back to 1984. All the accused have been chargesheeted based on circumstantial evidences,” Mr Verma told the Supreme Court which is hearing a petition seeking investigation into 1,528 cases of alleged fake encounters.
The CBI director assured the bench that probe in 20 more encounter cases would be completed by December end after which investigation in 14 more cases would be taken up by the SIT.
The court left it to the CBI director and SIT incharge to take a call on whether those chargesheeted for the offence of murder in these cases were needed to be arrested or not.
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on August 20.
At the outset, attorneygeneral K. K. Venugopal told the court, “I agree that this ( probe) has to be done expeditiously. There are 30year- old cases in this. We have to examine it and see who are accused in these matters. Charge sheets have been filed in two cases this morning. Another two final reports would be filed within this week.”
The bench then told Mr Venugopal, “FIRs were filed by the CBI against those who had died or who were victims in these cases”.
When Mr Venugopal termed it as “unbelievable”, the bench said, “It is unbelievable but it has happened”.
Mr Venugopal told the court that FIRs were lodged by the CBI as per apex court’s direction and FIRs lodged by the state police were re- registered by the agency.