SC to hear in March pleas relating to alleged fake encounter killings in Gujarat during 2002-06

New Delhi [India], January 18 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday, posted in March, the pleas seeking a probe into the alleged fake encounter cases in Gujarat from 2002 to 2006.

The matter came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Abhay S Oka and JB Pardiwala which posted the hearing in March. 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.

The top court had set up a monitoring committee under former Supreme Court judge HS Bedi for probing 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 investigated.

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.