STF seeks aid for fake encounter victims' kin

The special task force (STF), investigating 16 encounter cases, has decided to write to the central and state governments to provide compensation to the family members of three fake encounter victims. The three families, according to sources in the STF, appointed by the Supreme Court, have been living in abject poverty.

The families of three victims Dungar Machhar, Rafiq Shah alias Bapudi and Kasam Jaffer may benefit from this. Machhar was killed in Valsad, Bapudi in Jetpur and Jaffer in Ahmedabad. The STF, appointed by the Supreme Court, had started investigating all the three cases and found that the three families should be provided interim relief immediately. Sources also said that the STF probe indicated that these encounters were all fake.

Sources said Machhar’s daughter is living with her grandfather in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, and she should be provided monetary assistance to go to school. Similarly, Bapudi’s mother, saddled with two of his children, has been begging to eke out a living while Jaffer’s wife has been staying at a slum at Borivli in Mumbai. So, these two families also need urgent financial aid.

Sources said the STF had decided to write for their compensation based on their applications to the STF demanding interim relief.

“In its order, the SC has mentioned that the STF should find out whether some interim relief should be provided to the families or not,” a source said.

However, sources also felt that the sleuths had primarily found that all these three encounters were fake and so the families should be given interim relief. The STF investigation has gained momentum in the last few months only.

Justice (retired) HS Bedi, the STF chairman, meanwhile, appointed three members to the STF. Two of them are retired judges DH Dholakia and KI Kachia, while the third, MH Shah, is from the State Human Rights Commission. The appointments were made at a closed-door meeting at the state guest house annexe in Ahmedabad on Thursday.