Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh summoned by SC is insurgency expert, also served at Kosovo

Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh summoned by SC is insurgency expert, also served at Kosovo

New Delhi 

The 'tough cop' as he is known to friends, Rajiv Singh has hit headlines on Aug 1, Tuesday, as the Supreme Court summoned him for what is being stated as 'tardy' investigation in heinous cases of murder, rape and various crimes in violence-hit Manipur.

"In order to help the Court to determine the nature of investigation, we direct the DGP Manipur to be personally present on Monday, August 7, in the Supreme Court to aid the Court," the order from a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said.

Rajiv Singh, a 1993 batch IPS officer of Tripura cadre, had replaced P. Doungel on June 1 as the DGP after Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the violence-hit Manipur.

IANS story/National Herald

Singh has had vast experience in anti-militancy operations in Tripura as well as Maoist problems in Jharkhand. He had once been posted as the CRPF IG of that region and also served with the CBI.

A cricket lover, Rajiv Singh also served in strife torn Kosovo as an UN peace keeping officer when those areas were up flames.

During his stint in various positions in Tripura, Rajiv Singh had earlier managed "surrender" of militants in the state more than once. Singh has also served as Director, Fire and Emergency Service and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) of Tripura.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday also wanted to know if any erring policeman in Manipur

has been arrested. "Did the DGP care to find out in all these months? What has he done?"

"Based on the preliminary data, it prima facie appears that investigation has been tardy with considerable lapse between occurrence and the registration of the FIR, recording of witness statements and arrests have been few and far between," the order said.

The three-member bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also mooted formation of a judicial committee comprising retired judges to examine the allegations and cases.

During hearing the high profile case on Monday, at one point the CJI had said, "You also said there are about 6000 FIRs. What is the bifurcation? How many involve offences against women? How many offences against properties, offences against places of worship?

ends 

Some highlights of the hearing on Aug 1 in Supreme Court

CJI D Y Chandrachud said the zero FIR in the video case was lodged on May 4 and the regular one was registered after 14 days and the statement of the victims recorded on July 26.

“Mr Solicitor, look at the investigation. It is too lethargic. The FIRs registered after two months, arrests not made, statements recorded after so much lapse of time,” it said, adding “One thing is very clear that there is a long delay in registering FIR in video cases.” The law officer tried to impress upon the court that harsh observations made by it may impact the prevailing ground situation in the state.

“I am trying to be as impartial as possible and addressing my lords dispassionately only on facts because some of the emotive pleas, if true, would be very very serious and, if not true, then also very very serious as made before the highest court of the country,” the solicitor general said.

All officers in police stations have been directed to be sensitive to sexual violence reported by women and children, he said.

As the hearing began, the solicitor general, appearing for the Centre and the Manipur government, told the bench the state police have lodged 6,523 FIRs after ethnic violence first erupted in in early May.

The moment the law officer opened the submissions by referring to actions taken by the police, the CJI raised a volley of questions on the delay in registering the FIR in the viral video case, recording of the statements of the victim women and other necessary legal requirements which should have been complied with promptly.

“We are in the midst of a war of a different dimension. There are incidents in the border areas which are deeply disturbing. We need a calibrated approach in this case,” the attorney general said.