Saharanpur Caste-Violence: SC Denies Urgent Hearing On Petition For SIT Probe [Read Petition]

The Supreme Court on Friday denied urgent hearing of a Petition demanding a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the recent incidents of caste violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district.

The Bench comprising Justice L. Nageswara Rao and Justice Navin Sinha observed that there exists no urgency, and that the matter could be heard after the Court’s summer break.

The Petition, filed by Advocate Gaurav Yadava has sought formation of an SIT under the supervision of a sitting High Court Judge, who would conduct a “fair, impartial and independent investigation” into the riots. He had therefore sought an urgent hearing, submitting that the situation in the areas was “critical” and needed judicial intervention.

“Accordingly, Present Case required the constitution of special investigation team under supervision of sitting high Court judge in order to conduct fair, impartial and independent investigation to unearth the truth and ensure perpetrators to be brought to book behind bar and tried in a time bound manner because the perpetrators fearlessly violating the rule of law and infringed the fundamental rights to life and property hence the present writ petition herein (sic),” the Petition states.

It further contends that the riots witnessed torching of several houses and vehicles of people belonging to the Dalit community, by people of the upper castes. This has resulted in several people being forced to leave their villages for safer areas.

The Petition has therefore submitted that Dalits have been at the receiving end of the violence, while the State has been a silent spectator. Thereafter, alleging “failure of law and order situation”, it also demands that compensation be granted to the Dalits for any loss of life and property.

Read the Petition here.