National Human Right Commission We find that Shri Anil Kumar Thakur, Judicial Magistrate First Class, Banka has given cogent and sound reasons for his judgment while acquitting the accused. No doubt, an appeal from the judgment of the Magistrate is pending, but the pendency of the appeal cannot detain us from proceeding with the inquiry. More so, because the Appellate Court has not stayed the operation of the impugned judgment. Considering all the facts of the case, we are satisfied prima facie that Gautam Kumar Singh was falsely implicated in a criminal case. The matter becomes all the more serious because admittedly, the victim had no criminal antecedents. A notice be, therefore, issued to the Government of Bihar requiring it to show cause why monetary relief u/s 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 be not recommended to be paid to Gautam Kumar Singh. Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar shall submit reply to the show cause notice within six weeks.” 4.67 The matter is scheduled to be taken up during the Camp Sitting of the Commission at Patna, Bihar on 22 April 2016. d) Police Firing and Encounter 14. Death of 20 Red Sanders Smugglers in an Alleged Encounter with Joint Team of Special Police and Forest Personnel in Seshachalam Forests of Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh (Case No.475/1/3/2015-AFE) 4.68 The Commission came across a media report in The Times of India dated 7 April 2015 under the caption “Police kill 20 sandalwood smugglers in Andhra Pradesh”. It was reported that 20 red sanders smugglers were killed in an alleged encounter with a joint team of special police and forest personnel in the Seshachalam forests of Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Tuesday, 7 April 2015. According to the report, the incident took place 62 Annual Report - 2015-2016