Supreme Court Mandates SIT Probe in Tribal Man's Death, Grants Interim Relief to Minister

The Supreme Court has ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the death of Nilesh Adivasi, a 27-year-old tribal man. Interim protection from arrest has been granted to state minister Govind Singh Rajput, implicated in the case, amid ongoing allegations under the SC/ST Act.

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court on Thursday instructed the Madhya Pradesh DGP to establish a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death of Nilesh Adivasi, a 27-year-old tribal man. Concurrently, it provided interim relief from arrest to state minister Govind Singh Rajput, who faces criminal charges connected to the incident.

The directive follows a decision by the Jabalpur bench of the high court on October 30, which dismissed Rajput's anticipatory bail plea. The court had indicated that prima facie evidence against Rajput was substantial and observed that statutory limitations under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, apply to the case.

The Supreme Court's bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, ordered the SIT to include neutral officers and to conclude its investigation within a month. It emphasized exploring all aspects of Adivasi's death, including angles not previously investigated. The court also emphasized protection for witnesses and extended interim relief to Adivasi's brother during the probe.

(With inputs from agencies.)