Archive · 8 Nov 2025
Supreme Court Delivers Split Verdict on SIT Composition for Akola Riots Probe
Imagine a fight happened between two groups of people in a city, and someone sadly died.
The country's highest court was asked to make sure the investigation into the fight was fair.
The court first suggested that the special police team investigating should have officers from both religious groups involved to ensure fairness.
The government then asked the court to rethink this, saying it's not right to assume police might be biased just based on religion.
Two judges on the court couldn't agree.
One judge felt it was important to have officers from both groups to make sure the investigation was open and honest, especially since the fight was between different religious communities.
The other judge thought the government's concerns were important enough to listen to more carefully.
Because they disagreed, the case will be reviewed further.
The original fight started after a social media post went viral.
The Supreme Court delivered a split verdict on the Maharashtra government's plea to review a direction for an SIT comprising Hindu and Muslim police officers for the Akola riots probe.
Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld the earlier direction, emphasizing the need for transparency and fairness in investigating communal riots and dismissing the review petition.
Justice Satish Chandra Sharma agreed to hear the review plea, stating that the grounds raised regarding the religious composition of the SIT require consideration.
The Maharashtra government argued that the direction to include officers based on religion impinges on institutional secularism and presumes bias.
The Akola riots occurred in May 2023 following a viral social media post, resulting in one death and several injuries.
- Who
- Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma of the Supreme Court, Maharashtra government, petitioner Mohammad Afzal Mohammad Sharif
- What
- A split verdict was delivered on the Maharashtra government's plea to review a previous Supreme Court direction to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising Hindu and Muslim police officers to probe the Akola riots.
- When
- November 7, 2024 (split verdict); May 2023 (riots); September 11 (initial direction)
- Where
- Supreme Court of India, New Delhi (hearing the plea); Akola, Maharashtra (site of the riots)
- Why
- The Maharashtra government sought to review the direction, arguing it impinged on institutional secularism and implied bias. Justice Kumar dismissed the review, emphasizing transparency and fairness due to police dereliction of duty, while Justice Sharma agreed to hear the review, stating the grounds regarding religious composition require consideration.
Justice Kumar's View (Dismissing Review)
Justice Sharma's View (Agreeing to Review)
Composition of SIT
Justice Kumar's View (Dismissing Review)
Directing an SIT with Hindu and Muslim officers is necessary for transparency and fairness, especially given the communal nature of the riots and potential for bias, thus not impinging on idealistic principles of secularism. Secularism must be practiced, not just enshrined. The State machinery ultimately comprises members of different religions and communities, so transparency and fairness must be manifest.
Justice Sharma's View (Agreeing to Review)
The question of constituting an SIT based on religious identity requires consideration and warrants a review of the previous judgment.
Maharashtra Govt's Plea
Justice Kumar's View (Dismissing Review)
The government's contention that the direction infringes on institutional secularism and presumes bias is misguided, as the court's focus was on police dereliction of duty and the need for an objective probe in a communally sensitive case. The facts clearly demonstrated dereliction of duty by the police.
Justice Sharma's View (Agreeing to Review)
The review petition has raised grounds concerning the religious composition of the SIT that warrant further examination by the court.
- Event
- Akola Riots
- Date of Riots
- May 2023
- Location of Riots
- Old City area of Akola
- Supreme Court Verdict Date
- November 7, 2024
- Key Outcome of Verdict
- Split verdict on Maharashtra govt's review plea regarding SIT composition
- Number of Justices Involved in Split Verdict
- 2
- Previous Supreme Court Direction (Sept 11)
- Establish SIT with Hindu and Muslim officers to probe Akola riots
- Fatalities during Riots
- 1
- Injuries during Riots
- 8
