Palghar lynching: SC asks Maha govt to file status report on inquiry against policemen

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan and R Subhash Reddy asked the state government to also file the charge sheet before it, saying it would like to examine the report.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said media reports suggest that the Charge sheets filed in the case comprised more than 10,000 pages. 

He said whether there were any policemen involved in the offense or was there any dereliction of duty calling for disciplinary action, that has to be considered by the court.

The bench posted the matter after three weeks. On June 11, the top court had sought a response from the state government on two petitions seeking separate probes by the CBI and the NIA into the alleged lynching.

The bench was hearing petitions including the one filed by sadhus of 'Shri Panch Dashban Juna Akhara' and relatives of the deceased seers. Their plea alleged the investigation by the state police was being conducted in a biased manner. 

The other plea, seeking an NIA probe into the incident, has been filed by Ghanshyam Upadhyay. Besides the Maharashtra government, one of the petitions has arrayed the Centre, CBI, and the director-general of police of Maharashtra as respondents in the matter.

The three victims from Kandivali in Mumbai were traveling in a car to attend a funeral at Surat in Gujarat amid the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown when their vehicle was stopped and they were attacked and killed by a mob in Gadchinchile village on the night of April 16 in the presence of police. The victims were identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri, 70, Sushil Giri Maharaj, 35, and Nilesh Telgade, 30, who was driving the vehicle.

While hearing a separate plea seeking a CBI probe in the case, the top court had on May 1 directed the Maharashtra government to submit a status report on the investigation in the matter. 

The plea filed by 'sadhus' of 'Shri Panch Dashban Juna Akhara' has sought transfer of the probe to the CBI, claiming that there is a "reasonable apprehension of bias" if Maharashtra police proceed with the investigation.

"Several video clippings have emerged on social media and news reports which very clearly demonstrate the active involvement of the police present, who can be seen handing over the three persons to the unlawful assembly of persons gathered," the plea has claimed. The police have arrested over 100 people in connection with the case.