06 May,2024 04:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Supreme Court/ File pic
The Supreme Court instructed the Maharashtra government to enforce its directives regarding the 1992-93 Mumbai riots case. The directives include resolving pending cases, providing compensation to families of missing victims, and implementing police reforms.
Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan's bench, which was dissatisfied with the state's non-compliance with its November 4, 2022 judgment, ordered the Maharashtra DGP and the state home department secretary to examine the recommendations of the Justice BN Srikrishna Commission and provide a revised compliance report by July 19, 2024, reported PTI.
The report stated that the bench stressed the need to resolve the riot-related concerns and scheduled a suo motu hearing for July 26.
"The state shall file a better compliance report by July 19, 2024," the bench said per PTI report.
The court highlighted the need for the state to construct housing units for the 2.30 lakh police personnel, as per its previous directions.
A commission led by Justice Srikrishna was formed by the Maharashtra government in 1993 to look into the riots that occurred in Mumbai after the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was demolished. Based on the commission's findings, the court issued a number of instructions in its 2022 judgment, including identifying accused individuals who have absconded and accelerating trial proceedings.
"The State Government shall provide details of 97 cases on dormant files to the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court within one month from today. On receipt of the details, the High Court on the Administrative side shall issue necessary communication to the concerned Courts in which the cases are pending to take necessary steps to trace the accused," the Supreme Court had said, the PTI report stated.
"The State Government shall immediately constitute a Special Cell to trace the absconding/missing accused in these cases and to assist the concerned Courts so that the Trial can proceed against them," the top court had said.
"The State Government shall expeditiously implement all the recommendations made by the Commission on the issue of reforms in the police force which were accepted by it," the 2022 judgment stated.
According to the news agency report, the state administration was also ordered by the court to furnish information about individuals who have vanished and guarantee financial support for their relatives. It also required the establishment of a committee to supervise the carrying out of its orders.
"There shall be a committee headed by the member secretary of MSLSA (Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority) to monitor the implementation of the directions issued by this judgment," it had said.
With PTI inputs
