SITs In Maharashtra: Solving Cases Or Silencing Critics?
Despite the numerous SITs announced, and the assignment of senior officers to oversee them, their outcomes remain elusive.
The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government has announced the formation of yet another special investigation team, this time to probe the molestation of two minor students at a school in Badlapur. This decision came on the heels of a day-long rail-roko agitation organised by citizens and opposition party members. The Badlapur case SIT adds to a growing list of such investigative teams established by the Shinde government over the past two years.
Opposition parties have accused the government of using SITs as a convenient tactic whenever it faces pressure over law and order issues. They point out that none of the SITs formed in the last two years have produced final reports, and the progress of their investigations remains shrouded in mystery. Since the Mahayuti alliance assumed power, more than half a dozen SITs have been constituted.
Among these is an SIT announced to investigate a firing incident involving Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ganpat Gaikwad inside a Kalyan police station. Another SIT has been tasked with probing the suicide of Disha Salian, the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's manager.
Additionally, an SIT is investigating alleged underworld connections of a Shiv Sena (UBT) politician from Nashik, who was reportedly seen partying with Salim Kutta, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. The controversy surrounding the entry of Muslims into the Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik also led to the formation of an SIT.
Despite the numerous SITs announced, and the assignment of senior officers to oversee them, their outcomes remain elusive. This has provided the opposition with ample fodder to accuse the government of using SITs as a mere smokescreen, a tactic to temporarily appease critics and defuse tensions. Once public outrage subsides, neither the opposition nor the media seems inclined to follow up on the progress of these investigations.
Notably, the SITs monitored by high courts or the Supreme Court tend to show progress and deliver results. A prime example is the SIT established in 2003 under the directives of the Bombay High Court to investigate the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, also known as the Telgi Scam. The acronym "SIT," now seemingly used as a political shield, was once a formidable term in political and police circles. The Telgi Scam SIT arrested several senior police officers, including a former Mumbai Police Commissioner, and brought several high-profile politicians under scrutiny.
Jitendra Dixit is an author and consulting editor of NDTV.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of NDTV Profit or its editorial team.
