Supreme Court seeks Yogi government’s response in UP Encounters PIL

The Supreme Court today sought the response of Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh government in a petition filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) seeking a probe into the encounters taking place in the state.

Advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for the petitioner, told the Court that 58 persons have been killed in over 1000 encounters carried out by the Uttar Pradesh Police.

The Bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud has sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government in two weeks

The matter has been listed for hearing three weeks from today.

The petitioner told the Court that the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath had allegedly made certain questionable remarks with reference to these encounters. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had taken cognisance of these remarks and issued notice in that regard. The NHRC statement reads,

“It seems that the police personnel in U.P. are feeling free, misusing their power in the light of an undeclared endorsement given by the higher-ups. They are using their privileges to settle scores with the people.”

PUCL has prayed for a probe in these encounters, either by CBI or by a Special Investigation Team comprising Police officials who have not served in the UP Police. The petitioner has also asked for the probe to be monitored by the Court or by a monitoring team headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge. Besides directions for probing the encounters, PUCL has also sought compensation for the families of those who were killed.

The Court has instructed for a copy of the PIL filed by PUCL to be served to Additional Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh Aishwarya Bhati.

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