SC agrees to hear pleas seeking CBI probe in Palghar lynching case

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The Supreme Court Monday agreed to list for hearing pleas seeking a CBI probe into the alleged lynching of three people in Palghar district in April 2020, after it was apprised that the Maharashtra government has consented to the investigation by the agency.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala was told by a lawyer appearing for one of the petitioners that the state government has also agreed for a CBI inquiry. The lawyer mentioned the matter saying the case can be heard and disposed of on any Friday or Monday.

"We'll list it," the bench said. Earlier, in a change of stance, the Maharashtra government had told the Supreme Court it was ready to hand over to the CBI the investigation into the alleged lynching of three people, including two seers. The state government had earlier told the apex court that the Maharashtra Police has punished ¿delinquent¿ policemen for dereliction of duties in the alleged lynching incident and sought dismissal of pleas seeking a CBI probe.

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The affidavit was filed in response to a batch of petitions, including one by seers of Shri Panch Dashban Juna Akhara and relatives of the deceased. Their plea alleged the investigation by the state police was being conducted in a biased manner. The other pleas have been filed by advocates Shashank Shekhar Jha and Ghanshyam Upadhyay.

The three people from Kandivali in Mumbai were travelling in a car to attend a funeral in Surat in Gujarat amid the COVID-19-induced nationwide lockdown when their vehicle was stopped and they were attacked and allegedly killed by a mob in Gadchinchile village on the night of April 16, 2020 in the presence of police. The victims were identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri, 70, Sushil Giri Maharaj, 35, and Nilesh Telgade, 30, who was driving the vehicle.

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