SC Approves Changes In SIT On Manipur Encounter Deaths [Read Order]

The Supreme Court bench of Justices Madan B.Lokur and Uday Umesh Lalit, on Thursday, November 23, approved changes of personnel in the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the CBI under the directions of the Court.   The changes were requested by the CBI for administrative reasons.

Thus V.P.S.Maan, Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBI, New Delhi, was permitted to be appointed in place of P.Shadang, Deputy Superintendent of Police.

The bench also allowed the inclusion of L.S.Padma Kumar, Superintendent of Police in the SIT, as requested by the CBI.

The bench also permitted the Deputy Inspector General-cum-Head of Branch, CBI, SC-III, New Delhi, to attend to other work of the CBI, apart from monitoring the cases being investigated by the SIT.

The order records that the petitioner’s counsel has no objection to the requests made by the CBI.  The bench, however, made it clear that the third request is acceded to subject to the condition that the work of the SIT will not suffer in any manner.

The Director, CBI constituted a team of five officers, to form the SIT, on July 27, under the directions of the Supreme Court.   The bench had specifically requested appointment of a DIG to monitor the investigation, so that it can be concluded expeditiously.

The bench had also made it clear on August 22 that the Members of the team should not be changed without leave of the Court and should exclusively undertake the task in terms of order dated July 14, except with regard to any pending matter which is nearing conclusion.

The probe is expected to be completed before the second week of January 2018, when the case will be listed for hearing before the bench.