Nirendra Dev | 01 Aug, 2023
The 'tough cop' as he is known to friends, Rajiv Singh has hit
headlines on 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 DY 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.
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 DY Chandrachud and Justices JB
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 6,000 FIRs. What is the bifurcation? How
many involve offences against women? How many offences against
properties, offences against places of worship?
(Nirendra Dev is a
New Delhi-based journalist. He is also author of the books 'The Talking
Guns: North East India', and 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth'.
Views expressed are personal)
