Today, On 8th April, The Supreme Court deferred hearing a plea seeking an investigation into the 2018 Sukma encounter. The Court noted, “The peace process is underway,” and highlighted recent developments, including the surrender of 26 individuals. The observation indicates judicial caution amid ongoing reconciliation efforts in the region. The matter is likely to be taken up again in July.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court announced on Tuesday that it will consider a plea for an independent investigation into the August 2018 incident in which 15 alleged Maoists were killed in an encounter in Sukma district.
A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih remarked,
“We will have it somewhere in July. Now, the peace process is going on there. Today, there is news that 26 people have surrendered,”
The bench noted that such litigations could hinder the peace process.
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Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the plea, filed by a Telangana-based NGO, aimed to demoralize security forces in Chhattisgarh. He claimed that false statements were presented in the petition, and the relevant authorities had submitted an application seeking a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the petition’s origins.
He pointed out that misleading photographs from incidents in Odisha and Gadchiroli were included in the plea, and when this discrepancy was highlighted, the petitioner acknowledged it as a mistake.
While scheduling the matter for July, the bench observed that, even in Manipur, both parties desired peace in the region. The Chhattisgarh government had previously opposed the plea, asserting that it contained “bogus claims.”
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The state government stated that the photographs attached to the plea did not relate to the alleged incident. The petition seeks an investigation of the encounter by either the CBI or a special investigation team.
On April 2, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma expressed readiness for unconditional peace talks with the Maoists after the rebel group indicated a willingness to declare a “ceasefire” with certain conditions.
A statement, attributed to the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) and circulated on social media on April 2, outlined preconditions for a ceasefire, including the cessation of anti-Naxal operations and staying the establishment of new security force camps.
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The banned group, facing significant losses in its ranks due to frequent encounters with security forces, has urged the Central and state governments to foster an environment conducive to peace talks.
A statement dated March 28, 2025, allegedly issued by Abhay, a spokesperson for the Maoists’ central committee, emerged just two days before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s planned visit to Chhattisgarh. On April 7, police reported that at least 26 Naxalites, including three with bounty rewards, surrendered to security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district.
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