Jhiram valley Maoist attack: High court stays proceedings of judicial commission

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh high court on Wednesday stayed the enquiry proceedings of a judicial commission newly reconstituted by the state government, which added new terms of reference to an existing enquiry into the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack that left 28 Congress leaders dead

Published on: May 11, 2022, 21:09:32 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh high court on Wednesday stayed the enquiry proceedings of a judicial commission newly reconstituted by the state government, which added new terms of reference to an existing enquiry into the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack that left 28 Congress leaders dead.

The Chhattisgarh high court has issued notices to the state government and the Jhiram valley judicial commission and sought a reply. (File Photo)

A petition was filed by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and leader of opposition Dharamlal Kaushik questioning ‘constitutionality’ of the commission on April 13. Kaushik pointed out that the report of the Jhiram Ghati Inquiry Commission headed by justice Prashant Kumar Mishra should have been tabled in legislative assembly within six months of its submission but without submitting the report, the state government reconstituted the judicial commission.

The division bench of chief justice Arup Kumar Goswami and justice RCS Samant has also issued notices to the state government and the judicial commission and sought a reply.

“The court after hearing the petition stayed the enquiry proceedings of the reconstituted judicial commission. The court has also sought reply from the state government and judicial commission on the next hearing which is scheduled on July 4,” said Vivek Sharma, Kaushik’s lawyer.

Meanwhile, the government claimed that they will submit their reply at the next hearing. “The HC has ordered that no hearing will be done by judicial commission till the next hearing. We will submit a reply at the next hearing as directed by the HC,” said Satish Chandra Verma, Chhattisgarh’s advocate general, who appeared before the court in the case.

In December 2021, Chhattisgarh government appointed a new chairman, added another member to the Jhiram Valley enquiry commission and added new terms of reference.

While the state government said the rationale for the change was that Mishra had become the chief justice of the Andhra Pradesh high court, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the move was an attempt to obfuscate the findings of the commission’s report, which has not yet been tabled in the assembly or its contents released, and was a delaying tactic.

The new order appointed justice (retired) Satish K Agnihotri, former chief justice of Sikkim high court, as the new chairman of the commission and justice (retired) G Minhajuddin as a member. The new terms of reference which were added to the commission include whether sufficient medical aid was provided to the victims of the attack after the incident and whether appropriate steps were taken to prevent such incidents.

Among those killed in the Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack were senior Congress leaders Mahendra Karma, Vidya Charan Shukla, and Nand Kumar Patel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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