The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing of a plea that seeks an independent investigation into a 2018 encounter in Sukma district, where 15 individuals, alleged Maoists, were fatally shot. The apex court has scheduled the case for hearing in July, citing ongoing peace initiatives in the region.
During Tuesday’s session, a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih highlighted the recent developments in peace efforts, including the surrender of 26 individuals in Chhattisgarh. “We will have it somewhere in July. Now, the peace process is going on there. Today, there is news that 26 people have surrendered,” Justice Masih noted. The bench expressed concern that such litigations could potentially hinder the peace process.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the petition, filed by a Telangana-based NGO, aimed to demoralize the security forces operating in Chhattisgarh. He alleged that the plea contained false statements and cited an application for an apex court-monitored probe into the origins of the petition. Mehta also highlighted discrepancies in the evidence presented, such as photographs from unrelated incidents in Odisha and Gadchiroli, which were erroneously attributed to the Sukma encounter.
The plea for an inquiry has proposed that either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) conduct the probe into the encounter. Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh government has dismissed the claims made in the petition as “bogus” and contested the authenticity of the photographs submitted.
Recent statements from both state and rebel leaders indicate a mutual interest in negotiating peace. On April 2, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma announced readiness for unconditional talks with the Maoists, following the group’s expression of a conditional ceasefire, which includes demands to cease anti-Naxal operations and halt the establishment of new security camps.
A statement from the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) called on both the Central and state governments to foster a favorable environment for negotiations. This development came just days before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s planned visit to the state.
