Manipur fake encounter: Army Major, 2 police personnel booked

After being grilled by the Supreme Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation has booked a Major of Indian Army, two Manipur Police personnel and five riflemen in a nine-year-old alleged fake encounter case.

The first investigation report (FIR) states that Azad Khan, a teenager, was killed in a joint operation of Indian Army and Manipur Police in 2009.

Major Vijay Singh Balhara has been named in the FIR filed by CBI on July 31.

After the death of Azad in 2009, his father had later approached Justice Hegde commission, which was appointed by the Supreme Court.

Following two orders of Supreme Court, CBI has taken over investigations in 41 cases of alleged fake encounter and custodial killing.

On July 30, the Supreme Court questioned the CBI why no arrests were made till date after chargesheets were filed in four of the Manipur fake encounters cases.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur and also comprising Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, asked the CBI Director, Alok Verma, to take a call on arresting police officers and/or army personnel accused in the aforementioned case.

The top court observed that according to the CBI chargesheets, at least 15 people were identified for committing murder, however, no arrests were made so far.

The top court will now hear the matter on August 20.