Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court (GHC) today asked for details from the government on all suspected fake encounters in the state since May last year, and, taking the matter seriously, set a date of 11th January 2022 for the State Government to respond to the Public Interest Litigation.
Indira Jaising, a senior attorney and former Additional Solicitor General of India, spoke today on behalf of the petitioner, who is seeking an impartial investigation into the state’s alleged false encounters.
Jaising, who was representing the plaintiff, said to the court that the Assam Human Rights Commission has recognized the gravity of the situation by taking suit motto cognizance of the matter and issuing notices.
Advocate Arif Jwadder, who filed the PIL No. 86/2021 and is a resident of Assam who practices law in New Delhi, stated that 80 such events have occurred in the state since May 2021, with 28 people killed and 48 injured.
Jwadder has asked the High Court to order the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a Special Investigation Team (SIT), or a police team from another state to register an FIR in the alleged fake encounter cases, as well as an independent investigation by the CBI, a Special Investigation Team (SIT), or a police team from another state, all under the supervision of the Court.
He also demanded a legal investigation into the alleged encounters by a sitting Judge of the Gauhati High Court, as well as monetary compensation for the victims’ families after due verification.
In addition to the State Government, the petition cited Assam Police, the Department of Law and Justice, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Assam Human Rights Commission as respondents.
It may be mentioned that Jwadder had submitted a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission about such instances in July of last year (NHRC). In September, the panel requested a report from the Assam Police. The matter was handed to the Assam Human Rights Commission by the National Human Rights Commission in November. The case is still in the works.