CRPF Refuses to Share Controversial IG Report on Assam Encounter

Extra judicial killings are human rights violations and don’t come under the exemptions under the RTI Act.

Representational image of the CRPF. (Photo: The Quint)

The CRPF has refused to make public a report filed by one of its inspectors general alleging a fake encounter in Assam, citing exemption granted to the paramilitary from disclosures under the RTI Act.

In response to a query seeking a copy of the report on the encounter by a joint squad of security forces in which two persons were killed, the CRPF cited section 24 of the RTI Act.

Extra judicial killings are violations of human rights and do not come under the exemption given to some organisations from making disclosures under the RTI Act.

The act says when the information sought for pertains to human rights violations, it "shall be" provided after sanction from the Central Information Commission within 45 days.

But the CRPF rather than referring the matter to the CIC, "rejected" the application.

Rajnish Rai, a 1992-batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre, had filed a report with the CRPF top brass chronicling how a joint team of the Army, the Assam Police, the CRPF, its jungle warfare unit CoBRA and the border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) conducted the encounter on March 29 -30 in Simlaguri area of Chirang district and killed what they called were two insurgents of the banned group NDFB (S).

Rai, in his 13-page report, alleged that information about the incident and FIR filed by the joint squad of forces present a "fictitious account" of the operation to "conceal pre-planned murders of two persons in custody and present it as some brave act of professional achievement".

The home ministry had acknowledged receiving the report and said it is being studied and action on its content will be taken soon.

The advisor to the home ministry Ashok Prasad had said that the CRPF DG had received the report and would send it to the home ministry.

Rai, deputy chief of the CRPF formations in the northeastern states, had also sent the April 17 report to the Chief Secretary of Assam and chairperson of the Unified Command of security forces, the Central Reserve Police Force headquarters here, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 4 Corps in Assam and the Director General of the SSB.