IMPHAL, March 4: The Supreme Court appointed Commission which has started its cross-examination since yesterday to investigate six fake encounters involving Central Para-Military Forces deployed in the state for Counter-Insurgency Operations and state police forces continued today at the Conference hall of the Classic Hotel.
The Commission has retired Justice Santosh Hegdre as Chairperson with former Director General Police of Karnataka Ajay Kumar and former Chief Election Commissioner (Election Commission of India) JM Lyngdoh as members.
On the second day of the commission’s proceeding, three individuals including a woman and two men from the victim`s families made their statements before the Commission.
However since the statement of one of the two men happened to be the same as recorded before, he was exempted from further cross examination.
A security personnel of the State of Manipur who is a respondent of the six cases chosen for examination by the Commission was also cross-examined today on the second day of the commission’s sitting.
The security personnel identified as Bronson, a Havildar of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and presently attached with the Manipur Police Commando was cross-examined in connection with a March 4, 2009 incident when a 14 year old boy Md Azad Khan of Phoubakchao Makha Leikai was shot dead by a combined team of Assam Rifles and Thoubal Commandoes in an alleged gun fight.
Senior Advocate of the Commission, Sinha cross examined the individuals who had filed their affidavits before the Commission from the side of the victim`s family.
The proceeding of the commission continued till 7pm this evening and will start from 8:30am from tomorrow instead of the previously decided 9 am.
While the commission’s proceedings were going on, Chairman Santosh Hegdre clarified over reports in some local dailies that the commission will be accepting affidavits till March 5 and said that the deadline for submission of affidavits had ended at 5pm of March 3.