Explorer

Election Results 2024

(Source: ECI/ABP News/ABP Majha)

Why Selective Public Interest? SG Mehta On Plea In SC Seeking Probe In Gujarat Encounters

SG Mehta representing the Gujarat government told the Supreme Court that the petitioners who have sought a probe into the alleged fake encounters need to explain their selective public interest

The Gujarat government told the Supreme Court on Thursday that the petitioners who have sought a probe into the alleged fake encounters in the state from 2002 to 2006 need to explain the reasons for their selective public interest in raising the issue.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta was hearing two separate pleas filed in 2007 by senior journalist BG Verghese, and noted lyricist Javed Akhtar and Shabnam Hashmi, seeking a probe into the alleged fake encounters. Verghese died in 2014.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, told the bench that encounters have taken place in other states also.

They (petitioners) say we want investigation of a few encounters during a particular period in the state of Gujarat. Why this selective public interest? They have to answer that, he told the bench. The petitioners will have to satisfy the court about their selective public interest, Mehta asserted.

The apex court had earlier appointed a monitoring authority headed by former top court judge Justice H S Bedi which had probed 17 alleged fake encounter cases in Gujarat from 2002 to 2006. The committee, which had submitted its report in a sealed cover in 2019, recommended prosecution of police officials in three out of the 17 cases it probed.

In its final report filed in the apex court, the committee had said three persons were prima facie killed in fake encounters by the Gujarat Police.

During the hearing on Thursday, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for one of the petitioners, said the committee report has already come before the court. All that is needed to be done is to prosecute those persons who have been identified in the report, he said, adding the panel has come to a prima facie conclusion in three cases. The matter is required to be heard, the bench observed, and posted the pleas for hearing after two weeks. The Gujarat government had earlier voiced reservations about the locus standi of the petitioners. In its final report filed in the apex court, the Justice Bedi committee had said three persons -- Sameer Khan, Kasam Jafar and Haji Ismail -- were prima facie killed in fake encounters by police.   

It had indicted a total of nine police officials, including three inspector rank officers. It, however, did not recommend prosecution of any IPS officer.

On January 9, 2019, a bench headed by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had rejected the Gujarat government's plea to maintain confidentiality of the final report of the committee and ordered that it be given to petitioners. The panel had also dealt with 14 other cases which related to alleged fake encounter killings of Mithu Umar Dafer, Anil Bipin Misra, Mahesh, Rajeshwar, Kashyap Harpalsingh Dhaka, Salim Gagji Miyana, Jala Popat Devipujak, Rafiksha, Bheema Maanda Mer, Jogindrasinh Khatansing, Ganesh Khunte, Mahendra Jadav, Subhash Bhaskar Nayyar and Sanjay. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)

View More
Advertisement
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headlines

Elections 2024: Maharashtra, Jharkhand Brace For Results Today In Mahayuti Vs MVA, INDIA Vs NDA Battles
Maharashtra, Jharkhand Brace For Poll Results Today In Mahayuti Vs MVA, INDIA Vs NDA Battles
Manipur Crisis: Govt To Deploy 90 More CAPF Companies, 258 Dead In Clashes Since May 2023, Security Advisor Says
Manipur Crisis: Govt To Deploy 90 More CAPF Companies, 258 Dead In Clashes Since May 2023
Delhi Pollution: AQI Drops To 'Severe' Again; Gopal Rai Urges Action Post SC Criticism On GRAP Enforcement
Delhi Pollution: AQI Drops To 'Severe' Again; Gopal Rai Urges Action Post SC Criticism On GRAP Enforcement
Jharkhand Election Results: Hemant Soren To Champai Soren — Battles Of Prestige And Revenge To Watch Out For
Hemant Soren To Champai Soren — Battles Of Families, Prestige & Revenge In J'khand Polls
Advertisement
ABP Premium

Videos

What will happen in the Maharashtra & Jharkhand Election Result 2024? | ABP NewsDelhi News: 'Rewadi Samvad Abhiyan launched' Cabinet Minister Imran Hussain says he will go amidst the publicBreaking News: Big news related to Maharashtra cash scandal | Vinod Tawde | BJP | Congress | ABP NewsUP Bypolls: Akhilesh gets angry as inspector points a pistol at him, makes a big revelation | ABP News

Photo Gallery

Embed widget