Muzaffarnagar riots: SC notice to Centre, UP government

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government on a plea seeking transfer of probe into Muzaffarnagar clashes from the state police to an independent agency.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam asked the government to file its response and posted the case for hearing on November 21.

The court passed the order -- acting on a PIL filed by the Jat Mahasabha of Meerut -- to transfer the probe questioning the investigation done by UP police.

The bench said it will hear the plea along with other petitions filed on the Muzaffarnagar clashes.

The Supreme Court is hearing various petitions related to communal clashes that had broken out in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas of western UP on September 7 that killed 61 persons.

Earlier, the state government had informed the court that over 41,000 persons, of the 50,955 who had taken shelter in 58 relief camps in riots-hit Muzaffarnagar area, have gone back to their native places.

The status report, filed by the divisional commissioner of Saharanpur, has admitted that nearly 10,000 people are still living in 10 operational camps. Residents of six riots-hit villages of Muzaffarnagar "have not agreed to return to their native villages even after confidence building measures and serious persuasion."

"Their decision was found to be justified largely based on the fear emanating from the kind of incidents that broke out on September 7-8," it has said, adding the state government has decided to pay the families Rs 5 lakh for "resettlement and rehabilitation".

Image: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with the victims of Muzaffarnagar riots