Fake encounters or extrajudicial killings, which undo our whole system of delivery of justice, are reported from every corner of India. But Gujarat has earned a dubious distinction for this notorious practice. It appears that the Narendra Modi-led government has given a free hand to the law enforcing agencies to play with the lives of innocent citizens.
There have been well documented investigation reports bringing out the facts behind some such ghastly killings. Most of these happened in the case of members of one community which is euphemistically called “the minority”. It is a well established and standard practice now to use this term for the Muslim community as our journalists shy away from calling a spade a spade.
Human rights activists and civil society organisations have already given the gory details of cold-bloodedly arranged killings of Sameer Khan Pathan (October 22, 2002), Sadik Jamal (January 13, 2003) Ishrat Jahan-Javed Sheikh and two others (June 15, 2004) and Sohrabudddin Sheikh (November 26, 2005). Prominent human rights activist Shubhradeep Chakravorty had released two years ago a soul-stirring film titled Encountered on Saffron Agenda based on investigative documentation of the aforesaid four fake encounters.
Now Magistrate S.P. Tamang’s 240-page report about Ishrat Jahan’s case has brought blood-cuddling details and confirms the fake killing. The report confirms that the four persons were framed as “terrorists”, abducted earlier and shot dead at point blank range. The car used by the four was either towed or driven to the declared spot of the crime and the bodies were artificially positioned. The report quotes forensic science report that no traces of gun powder were found on the hands of the four alleged terrorists. The report further says that an AK-56 and a pistol were planted by the police to frame the four and make them appear as terrorists.
The report details other loopholes and discrepancies in the FIR and the Panchnama. It is rightly said a liar does not have sound memory.
The report points out that, according to Panchnama, Ishrat, the 19-year old college girl was wearing her I-card around her neck. Imagine the ‘terrorist’ who was out on a mission to kill Narendra Modi wearing her I-card around her neck; it is simply absurd, silly and foolish. The report finally says that the death of the murdered four might have occurred 12 to 24 hours earlier than the reported time of encounter, i.e. 3:40 a.m. on June 15.
If we want to put an end to such extrajudicial killings and promote rule of law, the Supreme Court must intervene and order a thorough inquiry by CBI under its supervision. The Gujarat police and their bosses are shielding the culprits. We cannot expect justice from them. The central government may shirk its responsibility under the excuse that law and order is a state subject. Therefore the Supreme Court is the last ray of hope. We hope our voice and the cries of countless innocent murdered citizens belonging to “the minorities” will not fall flat on the ears of the highest palladium of justice. In an earlier case of lesser severity Supreme Court Judge Justice Bhagwati had treated a post card as a PIL and ordered action. Why not in this case?