Deputy inspector-general (central range) Vineet Vinayak. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Sept. 7: Vineet Vinayak, deputy inspector-general (DIG), central range, is likely to be released for central deputation.

He has been tipped off to be posted with the National Investigating Agency (NIA).

Vinayak, a 1995-batch IPS officer of Sikkim cadre, is at present on inter-state deputation in Bihar.

His five-year tenure in Bihar is coming to an end this month.

Vinayak, who served as the superintendent of police of Khagaria and Nalanda districts and later as senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Patna, is facing trial in the Bihar state human rights commission for his involvement in the killing of eight criminals in an alleged staged encounter.

A division bench comprising Justice S.N. Jha and Justice Rajendra Prasad had ordered an inquiry into the killing of eight persons, including a mukhiya (village head) Vijay Kumar Yadav, in Khagaria’s Mansi area on the intervening night of December 13-14, 2007 after the latter’s relative approached the commission seeking a thorough investigation.

The commission had assigned then inspector-general (human rights) A.K. Seth to probe the matter and submit a report.

Seth had visited the encounter site and recorded the statements of the residents as well as family members of the deceased.

The matter was, however, kept under wraps for several months.

The petition submitted to the human rights commission said on the fateful night, the slain mukhiya’s second marriage was to be solemnised. The victims were relaxing at one Surendra Yadav’s outhouse in the night.

The police suddenly surrounded them and started indiscriminate firing, killing Jogi Choudhary, Rajo Choudhary, Bhoop Choudhary, Naresh Choudhary, all residents of Sanakhua in Saharsa and Ranjeet Yadav, Swapna Choudhary, Mohammad Israel alias Gorkha and Vijay Kumar Yadav of Khagaria district.

The complainant alleged that though the mukhiya was also killed in the encounter, the police showed his death elsewhere and even lodged a separate case in this connection.

A report submitted to the state police headquarters also mentioned that no magisterial enquiry was conducted into the encounter.

“Even the guidelines laid down by the National Human Rights Commission were not followed in the police encounter,” the petition alleged.

An earlier report submitted to the commission by the police headquarters said that then station house officer of Khagaria police station, B.K. Singh, had lodged an FIR in connection with the police encounter.

The petitioner expressed surprise over no physical injury or harm to the policemen during the course of the fierce gun-battle.

While the police fired 135 rounds in self-defence, the alleged outlawed fired 200-250 rounds, the petition revealed.

Additional director-general (headquarters) Rajvardhan Sharma feigned ignorance about any missive issued by the home (police) department with regard to release of Vinayak for central deputation.

“I have no information in this regard,” Sharma said.