The Supreme Court has mandated a five-member Special Investigation Team to re-investigate the murder of a Madhya Pradesh Congress leader's driver. The court-ordered probe aims to ensure impartiality following allegations that political influence previously compromised the local police investigation. The team will be led by an officer from outside the state cadre to maintain transparency.
The Supreme Court of India has directed the formation of a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a fresh investigation into the murder of a driver associated with a Madhya Pradesh Congress election candidate. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, issued the order after reviewing a petition filed by the victim's widow, Rajiya Ali.
Allegations of Impartiality Concerns
The court intervention follows allegations by the petitioner that the original investigation conducted by the state police was biased. The widow had claimed that the inquiry was influenced by connections to a sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of the Legislative Assembly. While state representatives initially maintained that the investigation was fair and nearing its conclusion, the Supreme Court identified significant procedural lapses. The bench noted that despite the seriousness of the case, the statements of four critical eyewitnesses had not been recorded, despite those witnesses having already submitted sworn affidavits.
New Investigation Structure and Oversight
To ensure an independent probe, the Supreme Court has set strict requirements for the new SIT composition. The team must consist of three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at the Senior Superintendent of Police level and two officers at the Deputy Superintendent of Police level. To avoid local influence, all members must be selected from outside the Chhatarpur district police jurisdiction. Furthermore, the SIT will be headed by an IPS officer currently serving in Madhya Pradesh but hailing from a different state cadre. The Director General of Police, Madhya Pradesh, has been tasked with forming this team within two days. The new team will take full control of all case records and begin the investigation afresh, independent of any previous findings or conclusions.