Supreme Court Commission finds six fake encounter cases in Manipur

It clarifies the government's awareness of the Commission's report and the National Human Rights Commission's (NHRC) stance on investigating these incidents.

Who it concerns: Ministry of Home Affairs, Supreme Court of India, Justice N. Santosh Hegde Commission, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), State Government of Manipur, and the general public concerned with human rights and security force actions in Manipur.

What was decided

• The Supreme Court constituted a three-member Commission headed by Justice N. Santosh Hegde on 4.1.2013 to probe six cases of alleged fake encounters in Manipur.
• The Commission submitted its report to the Supreme Court on 1.4.2013.
• According to observations dated 8.4.2013 on the Supreme Court’s website, the Commission found that in all six examined cases, the killings amounted to fake encounters.
• The Commission’s report has not yet been made public by the Supreme Court, and the matter is sub-judice.
• The NHRC routinely directs State Governments to conduct enquiries on complaints of fake encounters but has not specifically demanded an investigation in view of the Justice Hegde Commission's findings.
• The question regarding the government's reaction to an NHRC demand does not arise because no such specific demand was made.

Also in the document

• The document notes that the Commission's report is not public and the matter is sub-judice.
• The NHRC's role is described as routine direction for enquiries on complaints, rather than a specific new demand triggered by the Hegde Commission's findings.