SC Imposes ₹ 5 Lakh Cost While Dismissing Plea Seeking Investigation Into 2009 Killing Of Villagers During Anti-Naxal Operation

Supreme Court today dismissed the petition filed by Himanshu Kumar seeking an independent investigation by the CBI into the alleged extra-judicial killing of 17 tribals in the Dantewada district of Chattisgarh in 2009. Supreme Court dismissed the petition along with a cost of Rs. 5 lakh imposed on the petitioner Himanshu Kumar.

The Apex Court's bench comprising of Justice A. M. Khanwilkar and Justice J. B. Pardiwala pronounced the judgment dismissing the plea and imposing the huge cost of Rs. 5 lakh which the Court directed to be deposited to the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee within a period of 4 weeks failing which actions for recovery of amount will be taken.

The Central Government had filed an application seeking perjury proceedings for portraying the killings done by naxalites as killings done by armed forces during the anti-naxal operations and maligning the name of the security forces. The Bench left it open for the State of Chattisgarh to take action against the petitioners under section 211 of the Indian Penal Code regarding the assertions that have been made in the application by the Centre.

The application filed before the Supreme Court had sought to investigate against those who have been "conspiring, abetting and facilitating filing of petitions premised on false and fabricated evidence before the Supreme Court as well as before the Hon'ble High Court with a motive to either deter the security agencies to act against the Left-Wing militia by imputing false charges on them or to screen off the Left Wing militia from being brought to justice by creating a false narrative of victimization before the Hon'ble Courts."