SC to hear plea of murder-accused DU professor Nandini Sundar

The Supreme Court on Friday will hear the plea filed by Delhi University Professor Nandini Sundar, who has been named as an accused in the alleged murder of a tribal person in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

The Chhattisgarh government had earlier assured the Supreme Court that it will not arrest Sundar.

The state government told this to the apex court division bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur and also comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel while replying to the plea filed by Sundar.

While telling the court that no coercive action would be taken against Sundar, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the state would submit to the court its report in a sealed cover before the next date of hearing on November 15.

Earlier, refuting charges of murder Nandini Sundar said it was part of the state police's vendetta against all researchers, journalists, lawyers and activists who have been critical of their fake encounters and mass gangrapes, adding that she would take up the matter legally.

"It's part of the Chhattisgarh Police's vendetta against all researchers, journalists, lawyers, activists who have been critical of their fake encounters, their mass gangrapes of women and the complete lawlessness of the police. This FIR against us is absurd. We haven't even been to the area for five months. We will be taking it up legally," Sundar said.

Sundar and 10 others have been booked for the murder of a tribal in Sukma. Sundar has been named in a complaint by the wife of Shamnath Baghel, who was killed by Maoists last Friday in his village in Maoist-hit Bastar.

Baghel had been leading a campaign against Maoist activities since April and had recently formed the "Tangiya (axe) group". Baghel and other villagers had in May lodged a complaint against Sundar and others for allegedly inciting tribals against the police.