The Supreme Court of India on Monday ordered the creation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the 2023 death of a political campaign driver, citing the need to ensure public trust and a fair inquiry.
The five-member team will investigate the alleged murder of Salman Khan, a driver for a Congress party candidate during the 2023 Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, who was reportedly run over by a vehicle. His widow, Rajiya Ali, petitioned the court for a new inquiry, alleging that local police compromised the case due to political pressure.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police to establish the team within two days. The court specified that all members of the team must be selected from outside the Chhatarpur district police jurisdiction.
Structure And Requirements Of The Probe
The court mandated that the new investigative body consist of three Indian Police Service officers holding the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police, alongside two officers with ranks of at least Deputy Superintendent and Inspector. A serving Indian Police Service officer from outside Madhya Pradesh must head the unit.
Under the court’s directive, the team has two months to complete its investigation and must review all existing case files independently, without being influenced by the previous police inquiry. The bench ordered the investigators to record and analyze the statements and affidavits of eyewitnesses before presenting a final chargesheet to the local court. The justices clarified that their order does not constitute an opinion on the actual merits of the murder allegations.
Allegations Of Local Interference
Ali’s petition asserted that Khan was killed by individuals associated with Arvind Pateriya, who is now a sitting Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Legislative Assembly.
Representing the petitioner, advocate Prashant Bhushan told the court that no meaningful progress had occurred since the initial police report was filed on November 17, 2023. Bhushan stated that despite five eyewitnesses providing sworn affidavits, local police failed to record their formal statements. Instead, he argued, investigators relied on statements from three unrelated individuals who claimed the political candidate’s vehicle was not involved in the incident.
State Rebuttal And Witness Safety
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the Madhya Pradesh Police, strongly denied the accusations of bias. He argued that the current investigation was conducted in an impartial manner and was nearly complete.
During the proceedings, Chief Justice Kant noted that disclosing eyewitness identities in open court could endanger them, recommending that Bhushan share the names privately with Raju. Justice Bagchi emphasized that the primary responsibility of the state in such matters is to foster public confidence in the investigative process.
