SC Orders Assam Human Rights Commission to conduct an "impartial" probe into 171 alleged fake encounter killings in the state
SC Orders Assam Human Rights Commission to conduct an "impartial" probe into 171 alleged fake encounter killings in the state
Digital Desk: The Supreme Court recently directed the Assam Human Rights Commission to conduct an "impartial and diligent" investigation into 171 alleged fake encounter killings by Assam police officers.
Following the depth of the allegation, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh asked the panel to issue a public notice calling for relatives of suspected encounter victims to come forward.
"If confirmed, the claim that some of these events include fictitious contacts would constitute a breach of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. It is also possible that following a fair, unbiased, and independent review, some of these instances will be found to be necessary and legally justified," the court stated.
Advocate Arif Yeasin Jwadder filed a petition after the Gauhati High Court refused his appeal in 2023 regarding alleged fraudulent encounters with Assam Police.
Jwadder reports that over 80 incidents have resulted in 28 deaths and 48 injuries since May 2021; the occurrences occurred while Himanta Biswa Sarma led the government.
While announcing the verdict, the Supreme Court established a set of criteria for the state commission, stating that alleged victims or their families must be given a fair opportunity to participate in the proceedings.
To promote confidence, the panel has been instructed by the Supreme Court to keep the identity of the accused victims secret. Further, SC stated, "If a more detailed investigation is needed, retired police officials of 'impeccable integrity' could be engaged for inquiries."
