Cops found negligent in Palghar lynching case punished, Supreme Court told

Maharashtra Police has informed SC it has punished the delinquent policemen in connection with the lynching of three people, including two sadhus, in the state's Palghar district earlier this year

The Maharashtra Police has informed the Supreme Court it has punished the delinquent policemen in connection with the lynching of three people, including two sadhus, in the state's Palghar district earlier this year.

The affidavit, filed by the state's Assistant Inspector General of Police, said 18 policemen have been given varied punishments and some of them have also been dismissed from service or made to retire compulsorily.

In the affidavit, the Maharashtra Police said after completion of departmental inquiry against the policemen, the Special Inspector General of Police, Konkan range, issued show cause notices dated July 27, to these police personnel.

"The police personnel have replied to the show cause notices. After considering their replies to the show cause notice and after hearing them, the Special Inspector General of Police, Konakan range has issued final orders on August 21 imposing punishment upon the delinquent police personnel...," it said.

On August 6, the apex court had directed the Maharashtra Police to inform it on the action taken against the police personnel involved in the case.

The Maharashtra Police have also sought dismissal of petitions against it in the top court with costs, citing that two charge sheets have been filed in the matter so far.

On August 6, the Maharashtra government, through an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, opposed the PILs for transferring the Palghar lynching case investigation to the CBI or a court-monitored probe. The government informed the top court that enough has been done, as 300 accused have been charge sheeted and 6 police officials suspended already.

In the affidavit, the state police said that considering the seriousness of the Palghar lynching case and large number of accused involved, and in "order to maintain the complete fairness, independence and the transparency in the investigation, (the police) transferred the said case to the specialised unit of state criminal investigation department (CID), Pune with effect from April 20."

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and R. Subhash Reddy had asked the Maharashtra government about the action taken against the erring police officials as months have passed after the lynching incident. The top court asked for inquiry reports, details of investigation and asked the police to submit a charge sheet in the case before it for scrutiny.

The top court's order came on the PIL filed by advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha.

--IANS

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