Press Release

“CHATTISGARH GOVERNMENT HAS VIOLATED EVERY SINGLE LEGAL NORM AND GUIDELINES PROVIDED BY NHRC IN THE MATTER OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS- ALLEGES PUCL”

Raipur, 9^th May, 2007

The People’s Union for Civil Liberites - Chhattisgarh (PUCL) has demanded Enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in all Extra-judicial killings in Chhattisgarh since 2005. The issue has acquired serious proportions in the wake of the fake encounter case at Santoshpur in Bijapur, where not less than 12 innocent citizens were killed by the State Police. Attempts to cover up such violations by the Chhattisgarh Police of human rights and legal processes enshrined in the Constitution of India now need to be thoroughly investigated by the CBI and the Judicial Enquiry Committee, as the Chhattisgarh Government has lost the moral and legal right to do so. Such an investigation must also include killings and other crimes committed by the Salwa-Judum with the active connivance of the State Police.

In a press statement issued today, Adv Rajendra K Sail, President of Chhattisgarh PCL has categorically demanded arrests of those police officials whose complicity in the Santoshpur Fake Encounters have been established.

The Chhattisgarh PUCL has also expressed concern that the guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the cases of extra-judicial killings have not been followed by the Chhattisgarh Government, in spite of repeated reminders by the Chairperson of the NHRC.

The Chhattisgarh PUCL will an Intervention Application in the WRIT PETITION (CRI) NO. 14 OF 2007 ( Smt. Leda Versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS) pending before the Chhattisgarh High Court. It may be recalled that Smt. Leda, wife of a member of the Community Party of India (Maoist) name Ramesh Nagashia has alleged that her husband has been killed by the police in a fake encounter in front of her eyes and she was also raped. The Chhattisgarh High Court has issued notice to several police officials and the Central and State Governments in this matter.

Adv Rajendra K Sail, President of Chhattisgarh PUCL has categorically stated that Chhattisgarh Government has been committing crimes against humanity in the name of “curbing naxalism” for the past two years. The Chhattisgarh PUCL has, time and again, brought this gross violation of human rights through various fact finding studies. That is why, the PUCL State Convention held on 14^th & 15^th April, 2007 at Ambikapur had deliberated on the Theme: “FAKE ENCOUNTER, FAKE SURRENDERS AND FAKE CASES”. Chhattisgarh PUCL has always maintained that “extra-judicial killings” serve as the barometer for the state of human rights in any region or country. Going by such a barometer, the state of Human Rights is deteriorating day-by-day in Chhattisgarh with the increase in Encounter and Custodial deaths.

Rajendra K Sail

President

Chhattisgarh PUCL

Mobile: 098268-04519