2012-10-20 20:02:47

Supreme Court of India issues notice on Kandhamal retrial


October 20, 2012: The Supreme Court of India has asked the Odisha state government and the Central Bureau of Investigation to respond within eight weeks to a petition seeking fresh probe and retrials into some cases related to the Kandhamal violence.

The apex court issued the notice on Friday on a petition from the survivors of the 2008 anti-Christian violence and human rights activists. The petitioners under the “Initiative to Justice, Peace and Human Rights” had approached the court after two Fast Track courts set up for the speedy trial acquitted all accused in 29 of 30 cases.

The Initiative’s writ petition also sought retrials of the cases outside Odisha, besides fresh investigations into them. The bench comprising Justices R M Lodha and Anil R Dave also wanted the Odisha police department to respond.

According to the petitioners, faulty and defective investigation by the police, coupled with a perfunctory trial, has left victims with no hope of justice. Out of the more than 2,500 criminal complaints, the police had registered only 828 first information records. The petitioners had prayed for reinvestigation of the cases by Central Bureau of Investigations, the institution of a commission of inquiry, and transfer of cases to any other state.

Odisha witnessed a wave of violence lasting several weeks against Christian dalit and tribal communities of Kandhamal district following the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati on August 23, 2008.








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