Oting killings: SIT communicates denial of prosecution sanction to Session Court in Mon

NAGALAND — The State Crime Cell Police Station and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nagaland Police have communicated the ‘denial of prosecution sanction’ on the 30 accused in the Oting killing case by the government of India, to the District and Session Court in Mon, where the charge sheet in connection with the case was filed in May last year.
The office of the Director General of Police (DGP) updated on Wednesday that this was done as required by law.
It informed that the SIT had sought sanction for prosecution from the department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, against the accused security personnel involved in the incident after it completed the investigation in March last year but the latter had conveyed its denial to take such an action amid Supreme Court’s stay order on the case.
“As per procedure upon completion of investigation, pending the receipt of sanction for prosecution, the charge sheet in the case was filed in the Hon’ble District and Session Court, Mon, against the accused persons on 30/5/2022,” read the press release.

[ALSO READ: Revisiting Oting: We won’t be at peace until we get justice, say villagers]

However, prosecution sanction from the Centre is required for initiating any proceedings against security forces personnel for any actions taken by them while discharging their duties under section 197(2) Cr.P.C and Section 6 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), it said, adding that the Supreme Court had stayed any further proceedings in the case after the wives of the accused security forces personnel approached it.
It may be mentioned that 14 civilians — 13 in a botched ambush by the 21 Para Special Forces and one in the aftermath in Mon — were killed in Oting, Mon, on December 5 2021.