Manipur encounters: SC slams delay in SIT probe

The Supreme Court on Friday sought personal presence of CBI director before it to explain delay into the investigations of Manipur fake encounter killing cases.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Uday U Lalit summoned the CBI chief for Monday 2 pm, expressing its anguish over the delay in granting approvals to file report on investigations ordered by the top court.

“We are not satisfied with the pace of the probe. We want to know from the CBI director about the timeline and also about the manner of the probe,” the bench said.

The court said it is tired of “the CBI's snake and ladder game”.

The court sought to know why no final investigation reports in four cases of extra-judicial killings allegedly involving Army, Assam Rifles and police, was filed by the agency by July 27.

Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh contended the delay was due to the process of vetting and approval. He submitted that there were nine other officers in chain of command before the CBI.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for a PIL petitioner, sought a direction to set up a special investigation team as CBI failed to proceed in accordance with the directions issued by the top court earlier.