Akola Riots 2023 Case | Police Officers Must Shed Communal Colours when They Put on Their Uniforms, Says Supreme Court

Akola riots 2023 case | Police officers must shed communal colours when they put on their uniforms, says Supreme Court

The top court directs action against police who ignored a teenage Muslim assault victim and eyewitness to murder during the 2023 Akola communal riots and orders probe by SIT comprising Muslim and Hindu officers

Shed personal and religious biases when in uniform: Supreme Court

New Delhi: When police officials don uniforms, they must shed their personal and religious predilections and biases, the Supreme Court on Thursday underscored and formed a special investigation team to probe an alleged murder in communal riots that broke out in Maharashtra’s Akola in 2023. Slamming Maharashtra Police for dereliction of duty and sheer carelessness in not registering an FIR in the matter, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satis…

Akola 2023 targeted violence: Police officers must shed communal colours when they put on their uniforms says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, in a judgment on Thursday, September 11, 2025, spoke sharply against the display of communal bias and prejudice within the police force while delivering an unprecedented order that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising equal numbers of Muslim and Hindu officers, be formed by the Maharashtra government to investigate allegations of murder and assault made by a 17-year-old Muslim boy during the Akola communal violence o…

Supreme Court orders FIR, SIT probe, disciplinary action in 2023 Akola violence case

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the registration of a first information report (FIR), a special investigation team (SIT) probe, and disciplinary action against police officials for what it called a “patent dereliction of duty” in the 2023 Akola communal violence case. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma directed Maharashtra’s Home Department to set up an SIT comprising senior police officers from both Hindu and Musli…

‘Police Must Shed Religious Bias’: SC Orders SIT, Action Against Officials in Akola Riots Case

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra government to constitute a Special Investigative Team (SIT) to probe the 2023 Akola riots, while sharply criticizing the police for dereliction of duty and exhibiting communal bias. A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma passed the significant order while hearing a petition filed by Mohmmed Afzal Mohammed Sharif, who accused police officials of failing…

Hindu man killed after Prophet post: SC slams police for ignoring Muslim victim’s complaint

The court’s directions came in connection with the clashes that broke out in May 2023 in the Old City area of Akola after a religious post about Prophet Muhammad went viral on social media, which resulted in the death of one Vilas Mahadevrao Gaikwad and injuries to eight persons, including the petitioner.