CBI will probe 97 killings by security forces in Manipur

Agency director told to respond in two weeks, set up special teams; objections by govt and army overruled

NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court ordered on Friday a federal investigation into 97 alleged extra-judicial killings in 11 years by security forces in Manipur, overruling objections by the government and the army in a landmark decision hailed by human rights activists.

A bench headed by Justice MB Lokur ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to set up a team for the probe and asked the agency’s director to respond within two weeks. The 97 cases were between 2000 and 2011.

The army — which is accused in at least 30 cases — wanted an internal probe. The court gave the CBI time till by December 31 to lodge cases, complete its investigation and file charge-sheets before an appropriate forum. “These petitions should be listed in the second week of January, 2018, to ensure compliance with our directions for investigation by the CBI,” the bench said.

In July last year, the SC had ruled all incidents involving suspected use of excessive and retaliatory force by the army in Mani- pur must be investigated. The decision had come on a petition that alleged 1,528 staged shootings by the army and other security forces during 2010-12 in Manipur. “The army and paramilitary personnel ‘cannot use excessive or retaliatory force’ even in areas where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) had been notified,” the order had said.

Manipur police officers will not be included in the special probe team as the state force’s role in the killings has also come under the scanner. The police, the court said, hadn’t registered cases despite complaints by families of victims.