Giving a chean chit to former Assam Chief Minister PK Mohanta, the Tarun Gogoi Government on Monday told the Supreme Court that there was no secret killing of innocent people in the insurgency-hit state during 1998-2001.
In an affidavit filed in the court, the Assam Government said, "there has been no case of ‘secret killings’ as alleged by the petitioner, nor was there any connivance of the former Chief Minister PK Mohanta with the Central Government for carrying out the alleged secret killings."
The affidavit has been filed in response to a PIL filed last year by an NGO -Aalok - which alleged secret killing of 265 persons during 1998-2001 by the Army, Assam Police and surrendered ULFA men.
It said "the ultimate outcome of such unfounded allegations would only be demoralization of the Army and the State Security Forces who are risking their lives for preserving peace and security in the State," the affidavit filed by the state said.
Denying the charges of secret killings, the state government said though the petitioners gave 265 names, a close scrutiny of the documents filed by them revealed only 188 names out of police had registered cases relating to deaths of 167 persons. "It is only for 21 persons that the police have no records," it said.
{{/usCountry}}Denying the charges of secret killings, the state government said though the petitioners gave 265 names, a close scrutiny of the documents filed by them revealed only 188 names out of police had registered cases relating to deaths of 167 persons. "It is only for 21 persons that the police have no records," it said.
{{/usCountry}}The Assam Government opposed a CBI probe into the alleged secret killings on the ground that a Commission of Inquiry headed by a retired Judge was already examining the matter and any separate probe would amount to having parallel proceedings which would put an extra burden on the State Exchequer.
Interestingly, in its affidavit the Defence Ministry said that it had no objection to a CBI probe into the matter "since the Army was not involved in the alleged secret killings of 265 persons."
The apex court had last year issued notices to the Centre, Assam Government and others on the PIL that sought a CBI probe into the alleged secret killings of innocent persons in Assam.
It had alleged that Army and local police carried out the killings with the help of SULFA and that several bureaucrats, MLAs of the then ruling party were involved in it. The petitioner alleged that it was done on the instructions of the Union Home Ministry.
Email: Satya Prakash: satya.prakash@hindustantimes.com