Supreme Court Splits on Maharashtra SIT Review for Communal Riot Probe

The Supreme Court issued a split verdict on Maharashtra's plea to review the order for a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the Akola communal riots. Justice Sanjay Kumar refused the review, citing transparency needs, while Justice Satish Chandra Sharma sought further consideration on the composition of the SIT.

The Supreme Court has delivered a split verdict in response to a petition by the Maharashtra government regarding the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) for probing the communal riots in Akola. The state government argued that the court's earlier directive to form an SIT comprising both Hindu and Muslim officers undermines institutional secularism.

Justice Sanjay Kumar refused to review the original decision, affirming that the primary concern was the police's failure to act without bias or delay. Justice Kumar stated that in cases of communal tension, involving officers from both communities ensures fairness and transparency in the investigation process.

Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, however, found grounds to reconsider the directive based on religious identity composition, agreeing to address it in open court. This difference in opinion now requires attention from the chief justice for further determination. The original order had directed the setup of an SIT following accusations of negligence by police during the 2023 riots in Akola, which led to one death and multiple injuries.

(With inputs from agencies.)