SC to hear plea of 300 army personnel, Manipur Police commandos challenging FIR against them in AFSPA enforced areas

New Delhi: The Supreme Court agreed to hear on 20 August a plea filed by 350 army personnel challenging the registration of FIRs against them for operations in areas where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is in force. After the 350 armed forces personnel, six Manipur Police commandos also moved the apex court on Monday stating that a bench led by Justice Madan Lokur remarked that they are “murderers” before the trial began, which suggests that they will not receive a fair trial. [caption id=“attachment_4961891” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image. AP[/caption] A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice AM Khanwilkar agreed to an urgent hearing after lawyer Aishwarya Bhati said that army personnel are being prosecuted for performing duties in disturbed areas. Bhati said that dilution of the AFSPA protection to armed forces in disturbed areas will jeopardise the efficiency of operations against ultras and endanger national security, The Times of India reported. The plea said that registrations of FIRs and prosecution of army personnel went against the provisions of AFSPA as they grant immunity to them for actions performed during official duties. The plea also said that such prosecutions lower the morale of the military and paramilitary forces. On 16 July, the Supreme Court had agreed to examine a plea by the Jammu and Kashmir government, which stated the police does not require prior sanction before lodging FIRs against army personnel. The decision came to be after Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh, father of Major Aditya Kumar of 10 Garhwal Rifles, filed a petition seeking quashing of an FIR registered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in connection with the deaths of three civilians in alleged army firing in Shopian on 27 January, The Indian Express reported. Singh had claimed that his son’s name was included in the FIR which was registered without the Centre’s sanction. He said the Centre’s sanction was needed as AFSPA was in force in the state. With inputs from PTI.