Bhopal jailbreak: Why no CBI probe into ‘SIMI encounter’, SC asks Centre and MP

On October 31, 2016, eight suspected members of the banned SIMI were allegedly gunned down by police.

The Supreme Court, has asked the Centre and Madhya Pradesh government to explain why the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was not called in to investigate last year’s gunfight that left eight suspected SIMI men dead after a jailbreakfrom Bhopal Central jail.

Police officers and Special Task Force soldiers stand beside bodies of the eight suspected SIMI operatives who escaped the high security jail in Bhopal on October 31, 2016. The men were killed in an encounter at the Acharpura village on the outskirts of Bhopal. (Reuters file)

The MP government faced severe criticism after eight suspected members of the banned Students Islamic Federation of India (SIMI)were killed in an encounter on October 31, forcing it to order a judicial probe which is still going on.

Police were accused of staging the gunfight that took place around 5km from the Bhopal Central Jail.

Mehmooda Mohammed Salim Mucchhale — the mother of one of the eight deceased requested the court to order a probe by the CBI or a set up a special investigation team and monitor the investigation. She has challenged the Madhya Pradesh high court verdict rejecting her prayer.

Her counsel, Siddhartha Dave and Farrukh Rashid, raised questions on the credibility of the present manner of probe.

The one-man Commission has neither afforded an opportunity of being heard to the family members of the deceased prisoners nor permitted them to cross-examine witnesses.

The MP government faced severe criticism after eight suspected members of the banned Simi were killed on October 31