Supreme Court To Consider Gujarat Govt’s Objection To Sharing Records With Petitioners
Last Updated on April 12, 2023 by Administrator
In a case wherein the Supreme Court is monitoring 22 alleged ‘fake encounters’ conducted by the Gujarat Police between 2002 and 2007, it indicated, on Monday, that it would consider the reservation expressed by the State of Gujarat in sharing records of three encounters with the petitioners.
The report filed by retired judge of the Supreme Court, Justice HS Bedi found prima facie evidence of foul play in three out of seventeen cases of encounter killings in Gujarat within the said time frame. The report is only regarding the 17 cases which were specifically referred to STF.
The Supreme Court’s intervention came in the petitions filed by journalist B G Verghese, poet-lyricist Javed Akhthar and social worker Shabnam Hashmi, who alleged that the police encounters were fake and state-managed. Mr. Mehta submitted that the State Government has received letters from the officer requesting not to share the record of the investigation carried out under the provision of the Cr.P.C. with the petitioners.
Mr. Rohatgi argued that after the report has been submitted the petitioner has no role to play; it is now between the Court and the accused officers. He vehemently objected to the sharing of records of the three encounters with the petitioners.
Advocate, Mr. Prashant Bhushan appearing for one of the petitioners submitted that there in its judgment in PUCL v. State of Maharashtra, the Apex Court had laid down guidelines as to what is to be done in cases of killing in police encounters.
Written By – Unnati
