'Fake' encounters: Gujarat govt refuses to share details of 2002-06 police encounters
Apr 10, 2023
New Delhi [India], April 10 : The Gujarat government on Monday in the Supreme Court expressed reservation over-sharing with petitioners material in a matter seeking a probe into the alleged fake encounter cases in Gujarat from 2002 to 2006, whose probe was monitored by a former top court judge Justice HS Bedi.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and A Amanullah was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, that the government said there were "serious doubts" about petitioners' locus and motive.
The pleas were filed in 2007 by senior journalist BG Verghese and lyricist Javed Akhtar seeking a probe into the alleged fake encounters. Verghese passed away in 2014.
During the hearing, Solicitor General said that the petitioners were not concerned about encounters that occurred in other states, including where they lived, and was focused only on Gujarat.
"People staying somewhere in other states have identified particular periods of encounters. There were encounters in other states (as well) but they (petitioners) are not concerned," he said.
The bench now posted the matter for hearing on July 12.
The top court set up a monitoring committee under former Supreme Court judge HS Bedi to probe 17 alleged fake encounter cases from 2002 to 2006.
The committee in 2019 had submitted a report to the apex court in a sealed cover where it recommended the prosecution of police officials in three out of the 17 cases it probed.
On November 9, 2022, the apex court observed that the limited contours which have now to be examined involved whether any directions were required to be issued pursuant to the report of the Justice Bedi committee.
Ultimately the issue now revolves around three encounters, it said.
