Murderers roam free, why no arrests: SC pulls up CBI director over Manipur fake encounter cases

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the CBI why no arrests were made despite filing charge sheets in fake encounter cases in Manipur and wondered what would happen to society as murderers were roaming freely.

CBI director Alok Kumar Verma who appeared before the court after being summoned over the delay in filing final reports in seven cases, told the court that two chargesheets have been filed and five more would be submitted by Tuesday. He also said that 14 people were charged for alleged murder, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence in the cases.

A bench of justices MB Lokur and UU Lalit had summoned Verma to appear before it on Monday after the agency failed to file final reports in seven cases of extra judicial killings allegedly staged by Army, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police in Manipur between 1985 and 2001.

“According to the CBI, there are at least four murderers roaming free in Manipur. What will happen to society if this is allowed?” the judges asked, according to news agency ANI.

The court then asked Verma to list out the problems the probe agency was facing in filing reports. “You can sit together with your officers and discuss. You are dealing with peoples’ lives,” the judges said.

“We would like to know from the director what should be done to expedite the investigation and filing of chargesheets,” the bench had earlier said.

The court then asked CBI director and Special Investigation Team to take a “rational decision” on whether to arrest or to have custodial interrogation of the accused in the case.

The CBI director told the court that probe in 20 more fake encounter cases in Manipur will be completed by December end. He is set to appear before the court again on August 20.

First Published: Jul 30, 2018 16:57 IST