SC asks UP govt to file reply within 2-weeks in fake encounters case

New Delhi, July 2: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file a reply in the fake encounters case within two weeks. The apex court has sought Yogi Adityanath government's reply on a number of encounters carried out by the Uttar Pradesh police ever since he came to power in 2017, said reports.

Earlier, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had observed that the police personnel were misusing their power and gunning down alleged criminals in a bid to curb crime and even reportedly "using their privileges to settle scores".

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government on the PIL filed by the NGO People's Union for Civil Liberty (PUCL), the Financial Express reported.

Appearing for PUCL, lawyer Sanjay Parikh claimed that state police have carried out as many as 500 encounters in Uttar Pradesh recently, killing 58 people so far.

On June 30, a former BJP Deputy Mayor of Lucknow and a party ex-corporator were among four who were convicted and sentenced life imprisonment by a Lucknow court in connection with a 24-year-old fake encounter case.

The Additional Sessions Judge Swapna Singh sentenced life imprisonment to former BJP deputy mayor Abhay Seth, then party corporator and General Secretary of Aliganj Traders' Union Ashok Mishra and two constables R.C. Singh Chandel and Shvibhushan Tiwari, reported DNA.