Gauhati HC Rules Out CBI Probe Into Assam Rifles Firing Incident of 2016

The Gauhati High Court ruled out a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the killing of two persons alleged to be ULFA cadres in Arunachal Pradesh’s Miao on December 14, 2016 in a firing incident by Assam Rifles personnel.

However, at the same time, a Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice RM Chhaya and Justice Soumitra Saikia has directed the Central Government to pay a compensation of Rs 4 lakhs each to the families of the two victims within a period of one month.

The two persons were Deep Moran alias Deepjyoti Chutiya and Anupam Moran alias Nagamen, a minor boy.

The order was passed in response to a Writ Petition filed by the mothers of the deceased, seeking a CBI or judicial inquiry into the incident, payment of compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and prosecution of the security personnel involved in the incident.

The counsels for the Assam Rifles as well as the Governments of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam submitted various materials to prove that the two slain youths were part of an 11-member group of new recruits who were staying in a house in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh while on their way to Myanmar to join the banned ULFA.

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The counsels submitted that the shooting incident occurred after Assam Rifles personnel surrounded the house in question on the basis of a tip-off. They further submitted that Deep Moran and Anupam Moran were shot by Assam Rifles personnel when they did not obey commands to stop, and instead tried to run away from the security cordon.

The Division Bench noted that the District Judge of Dibrugarh had already carried out a thorough inquiry into the matter as per an earlier directive issued by a coordinate Bench of the High Court.

While ruling out a CBI probe into the matter, the Division Bench directed the competent authorities to expedite their investigations on the basis of separate FIRs filed earlier by the families of the two deceased persons.

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