New Delhi, July 30 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation as to why no arrests were made till now after the charge sheet was filed in four of the Manipur fake encounters cases.
Headed by Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur and also comprising Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, the bench asked the CBI Director, Alok Verma, to take a call on arresting police officers or army personnel accused in the Manipur fake encounter cases.
The Apex Court observed that according to the CBI charge sheets, there were at least 15 people who had committed murder who have never been arrested.
CBI Director said there was only circumstantial evidence against these 15 people. No documentary evidence or recovery was made from them. Six were accused in one case and nine in the other. The cases, he said, date back to more than three decades.
Verma today appeared before the Supreme Court in compliance with its order.
The Apex Court had categorically asked him to personally appear before it and respond to the questions as why there was a delay in completing the probe and filing the charge sheets in the cases.
After seeing Verma present before it, Justice Lokur asked him, what were the problems faced by the probe agency. 'You can sit together with your officers and discuss how to sort out issues and try to expeditiously complete the investigation and file the charge sheet.'
The Supreme Court observed prima facie, it seems that the deaths were due to fake encounters. "You are dealing with the lives of people," Justice Lokur observed.
Verma affirmed that the CBI was also deeply concerned with the loss of lives.
"The investigation will be completed as soon as possible and we are doing it seriously," Verma said and added that the charge sheet will also be filed within three months.
Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court), Maneka Guruswamy, submitted to the Apex Court that there were issues of translators, investigators and others in the probe agency, which needed to be sorted out.
Senior advocate, Colin Gonsalves, appearing for one of the petitioners, told the Supreme Court that there seems to be a decision by the CBI to not conduct any custodial interrogation.
The Apex Court said it could not tell the CBI how to conduct probe and set August 20 for further hearing, when Verma has to appear again before it again.
UNI XC RP1829