SC notices to Centre, Guj in 21 fake encounter
New
Delhi,
Oct
8:
The
Supreme
Court
today
issued
notices
to
the
Centre
and
the
Gujarat
government
on
a
petition
filed
by
Hindustan
Times
former
editor
B
G
Verghese
seeking
an
inquiry
into
21
incidents
of
fake
encounter
in
Gujarat.
The petitioner's counsel contended before a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and V S Sirpurkar that the Gujarat Government had admitted in the State Assembly 21 incidents of encounter killings by the state police between 2003 and 2006.
The petitioner in his petition had also demanded adequate compensation to the next of kin of the victims, where warranted.
The petitioner, who is also the former member of Press Council of India and former Editor of Indian Express, had also sought prosecution of police officers responsible for such killings. He also prayed for evolving a scheme in consultation with NHRC to ensure accountability in all cases of custodial and encounter violence.
According to the petitioner, all those killed in the encounters were between the age group of 22 and 37 years and even it was not clear whether the family members of those killed are aware of the fate of these young people.
Six of those killed in encounters were in police custody and therefore there is a need to inquire into the pattern of such killings.
UNI