Manipur fake encounter: NHRC had dealt with 20 cases

New Delhi: In a landmark judgement protecting human rights, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered a CBI probe into 98 fake encounter killings in Manipur during the last decade and described the NHRC as a “toothless tiger” for its failure to check the alleged violations.

Pulling up the state government for inaction, the court directed it to pay compensation in those cases where the NHRC had ordered relief and registration of FIRs. Cases related to 20 deaths were reported to the NHRC.

“We do feel it imperative to bring it to the notice of all state governments that it would be but a small step in the protection of life and liberty of every person in our country if a state human rights commission is constituted at the earliest,” the bench said. In July last year, the apex court had directed a thorough probe into the alleged fake encounter killings in Manipur saying the use of “excessive or retaliatory force” by the armed forces or police was not permissible in “disturbed areas”.

The Army had told the court in April that the judicial probes conducted into the alleged extra-judicial killings were “biased” due to local factors. On the court’s direction, the Centre probed 282 cases of deaths and found that 70 matters were related to the Army and Assam Rifles, while the rest were linked to police.