Supreme Court Scrutinizes Alleged Fake Encounters in Assam
In a pivotal development, the Supreme Court of India has raised alarms over alleged "fake" police encounters in Assam, scrutinizing whether law enforcement is disproportionately targeting a specific community. Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan are deliberating on an appeal against a Gauhati High Court decision that dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the matter. The apex court underscored the importance of proactive involvement by Human Rights Commissions in safeguarding civil liberties.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner, argued that several encounters have occurred in Assam, with many allegedly not adhering to the protocols established by the Supreme Court in the PUCL v. State of Maharashtra case. He pointed to numerous instances where essential forensic analysis, magisterial investigations, or independent probes were missing, with First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against victims of these encounters instead.
A particularly distressing case was brought to attention, involving a woman who accused the police of killing her husband in custody, complete with evidence of severe torture. Bhushan asserted that accusations of staged encounters remained uninvestigated.
On the other side, Assam’s Additional Advocate General Nalin Kohli contended that the High Court had raised doubts about the petitioner’s credibility and had labeled some statements as "patently false," thereby justifying the dismissal of the PIL as premature.
The Supreme Court criticized the Assam Human Rights Commission’s tendency to close complaints without thorough follow-ups, emphasizing its obligation to address all complaints irrespective of the involvement of victims or their relatives. The session has been adjourned until November 26, by which the State of Assam has been instructed to submit comprehensive details and status reports on 171 encounter cases under investigation.
Original Story https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/sc-seeks-data-on-alleged-fake-encounters-in-assam.html
Category : Assam,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2024-10-23 15:42:00
