Bilaspur : The Chhattisgarh High Court has scheduled December 21 for final hearing in the Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack case, where the formation of a second investigation commission has been challenged. The division bench headed by Chief Justice Krishnaram Mahapatra, also comprising Justice Santosh Sharma, observed that the matter involves serious legal questions requiring detailed hearing. The court has kept its May 2022 stay on the probe intact until then.
BJP leader Dharmalal Kaushik has challenged the second commission, arguing that the first commission under Justice Prashant Mishra had already submitted its report to the Governor, making a new panel unnecessary. During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel was absent and sought adjournment. Intervention applicant’s lawyer Sudeep Shrivastava argued that the government has the right to investigate new points and urged the court to lift the stay and dismiss the petition. The state government’s counsel sought time to obtain instructions.
The previous Congress government constituted the new commission in 2021, appointing retired Justices Satish Agnihotri and Minhajuddin, after not accepting the first commission’s report. The December 21 hearing will determine whether the second commission can proceed.
