SC NOT SATISFIED WITH CBI SIT’S probe into Manipur encounters

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the CBI’S plea to expand the size of its SIT probing the alleged extra-judicial killings and fake encounters by the Army, Assam Rifles and police in Manipur by adding five more officers, including two who are probing the Vyapam scam cases.

The SIT told a bench of justices Madan B Lokur and U U Lalit that at present, the team consists of five officers but they needed five more as the probe into these cases was required to be done expeditiously.

The bench, after perusing the five names given by the CBI in its application, said that two out of these five officers were associated with the probe into the Vyapam scam of Madhya Pradesh.

“Two of them are doing Vyapam cases?” the bench asked Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Maninder Singh, who was appearing for the CBI.

Singh said there were around 170 cases in Vyapam scam, and in 100 of these cases, final reports were made.

Investigations in the rest of the cases were in the final stage.

He said these two officers were doing their “final job” in Vyapam matters and once they complete their investigation there, they could join the SIT for Manipur cases.

“We do not want that it affects the other thing (probe in Vyapam cases),” the bench observed.

Singh, however, told the court that the core team of five officers in the SIT would not be changed without permission of the apex court.

When the ASG requested the court to permit the CBI to make further additions to the SIT, the bench said, “You move an application for this”.