Centre supports Manipur policemen plea for recusal of SC bench in fake encounter cases

The Centre Friday supported the plea by Manipur policemen in the Supreme Court who were chargesheeted in alleged fake encounter cases, seeking recusal of the bench from hearing the case.

A bench of Justices M B Lokur and U U Lalit reserved the order on the plea which sought its recusal from hearing the matter.

Attorney General K K Venugopal told the court that the alleged reported remarks of the bench that these cops were "murderers" has affected the morale of police and armed forces.

He said the armed forces in Manipur are facing difficult times fighting insurgency and the court's remarks has completely shaken their morale.

The court, which is hearing a PIL seeking a probe into as many as 1,528 cases of alleged extra-judicial killings in Manipur, had on July 14 last year constituted the SIT and ordered lodging of FIRs and probe into them.