New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) Six of the 12 missing tribals, who were produced by the
Chattisgarh Government before the Supreme Court today recorded their statements
before the District Judge in the national capital.
The statements were recorded by District Judge G P Mittal and the entire
proceedings relating to it were videographed as directed by the Supreme Court.
"All of them recorded their statements voluntarily," sources said on completion
of about five-hour-long proceedings which started late in the evening in the
courtroom of District Judge at the Tis Hazari Courts complex.
Both the representatives of Chattisgarh government and the petitioners, who
were present during the proceedings, expressed satisfaction over the recording
of the statements.
The statements were put in sealed envelopes for production before the apex
court tomorrow.
The District Judge asked all the six to remain in the protection of Delhi
police till tomorrow.
The Supreme Court Monday directed a Delhi district judge to record the
statements of the six Chhattisgarh tribals presented by the state government in
accordance with the order last week to locate 12 missing persons.
A bench of Justices B. Sudershan Reddy and S.S. Nijjar had last Monday directed
the Chhattisgarh government to produce before it 12 people - missing after
moving the court for a probe into the alleged killings of over 12 villagers by
security forces in Dantewada as a part of the anti-Maoist operation.
Appearing for the Chhattisgarh government, Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium
told the court that six of the 12 missing had been located. The other six, he
said, appeared to have crossed over to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
A lawsuit by human rights activist Himanshu Kumar had alleged that police and
security personnel had abducted the relatives of the killed villagers to keep
them away from the courts.
As the six were produced in court, Kumar's counsel Colin Gonsalves told the
bench that the state police had been keeping them in custody for the last 45
days.
Expressing apprehension about the fate of others, Gonsalves said all the six in
court appeared visibly terrified and under stress and must be allowed to stay
with civil right groups so that they could feel normal and speak the truth.
However, Subramanium opposed the plea saying that this would amount to giving
the petitioners an opportunity to tutor the tribals into making statements
against the state police and security personnel.
As the tribals spoke no language except their tribal Gond, the court ruled in
favour of sending them before the district judge for recording of their
statements with the help of another person.
The court decided to hear the matter again Tuesday after their statements were
recorded. Adv Kamayani Bali Mahabal
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And see the real goal........................................By Rabia (Rabi'a
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