SC issues notice to Maharashtra in Palghar lynching case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday sought reply from the Maharashtra government in the Palghar lynching incident.

The bench, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, while issuing the notice, listed the matter for hearing in the second week of July.

Advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the apex court seeking a court-monitored probe or transfer of the Palghar case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging that the state police was complicit in the incident.

The bench, also comprising Justices MR Shah and V Ramasubramanian, heard the case through video conferencing in virtual court number five.

The Maharashta government had opposed the plea stating that similar cases were pending in the Bombay High Court.

Jha argued for the petition to be transferred to the National Investigation Agency. He added that there were apprehensions that evidence may be tampered with.

On 1 May, the top court had sought status report of the probe from the Maharashtra police.

The PIL has questioned the gathering of the crowd at the site of the incident despite the nationwide lockdown. It also claimed that the local administration and police failed to discharge their duties.

The counsel for Maharashtra had apprised the court that the state government has ordered a high-level inquiry into the Palghar incident, transferring the case to CID.

On 16 April, two sadhus and their driver--headed towards Surat to attend a funeral--were stopped at Palghar and dragged out their car and beaten to death on suspicion that they were thieves.