SC seeks status report on Palghar lynching probe

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 1

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Maharashtra Government to submit a status report on the probe into the lynching of two sadhus and their driver in Palghar last month.

During the hearing conducted via video conferencing, the Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, however, refused to stay the ongoing probe into the crime by the state police.

Two saints travelling from Mumbai to Surat were stopped by a mob of over 200 people and killed along with their driver on April 16. The trio allegedly was suspected to be thieves.

The Bench, which was hearing a petition seeking a court-monitored probe or a CBI probe into the incident, asked the petitioner, advocate Shashank Shekhar, to give a copy of the petition to the Maharashtra Government counsel and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

The Bombay High Court is also seized of a petition seeking similar relief.

The petitioner accused the police of being complicit in the lynching of Swami Kalpavriksha Giri and Sushil Giri of Juna Akhara, along with their driver Nilesh Telgade.

Citing media reports, Shashank Shekhar said there was a breakdown of law and order as the policemen present on the scene of crime remained mute spectators.

“The involvement of police in the said lynching not only has shaken the faith of millions in the police forces but has also made it impossible to trust the investigation carried on by the same police officials,” the petitioner submitted.

Advocate Shashank Shekhar wondered how police allowed crowd to assemble despite a lockdown being in force due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Maharashtra Government counsel informed the court that the state police CID was probing the case.