Judicial Commission Gives Clean Chit To Up Police In Vikas Dubey Case

WHAT WAS THE MATTER

• On 22nd July 2020, the Supreme Court formed a three-member committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice B.S. Chauhan to probe into the police encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey, which took place on July 10, 2020.
• The Committee was formed by the Supreme Court after a writ petition was filed before it, alleging that the encounter story was fake and that the police had let the accused out on purpose so that they could kill him and present the entire scenario as an action of self-defense on the part of the police officials.
• The Committee examined various witnesses and recorded their statements. A lot of witnesses, including the wife of the Vikas Dubey, who claimed that the encounter was fake, did not show up before the commission.
• The Committee made an 825-page report which was completed in the month of April, 2021 and it was submitted to the Government.
• The report was tabled in the Assembly on 19th August, 2021 by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister of the State, Mr. Suresh Khanna for the consideration of the Assembly.

WHAT DID THE COMMISSION FIND

• The Commission, on the basis of medical examination of the deceased and that of the injured police officers along with other evidence, came to the conclusion that the version of the police as to the events leading up to the encounter was correct.
• The medical examination report found that the death of the deceased could have been caused by the events as laid out by police. Further, the wounds in the police officers could not have been self-inflicted, and therefore, were a result of the road accident described by the police officials present on the spot.
• By this, the Commission cleared the air around the story of a fake encounter, but at the same time, came down heavily upon the local Kanpur police upon their constant inaction against the gangster, as a result of which, he was always let out easily.
• The Commission also highlighted the lack of planning and faulty implementation with regards to the raid that was conducted at the house of Vikas Dubey, and also the presence of some moles within the system who informed the gangster about the raid.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS CASE?