Investigation of Badlapur 'encounter': Supreme Court directs Maharashtra DGP to choose SIT

The view of the Supreme Court of India. File | Image source: Hindu

The Supreme Court of India directed the Chief of Police of Maharashtra (DGP) on Monday (5 May 2025) to select a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the alleged death of the guardian of Akshay Shinde, the defendant in the sexual collection of two kindergarten girls in Badlapur, Tarn district.

Bela M. Trivedi and PB Varale's bench directed the State Department of Criminal Investigation (CID) to hand over the case documents to the Director General of Police (DGP) within two days.

Maharashtra has appealed to the Supreme Court in April to the instructions of the Mumbai High Court to establish a sitting position supervised by the Joint Director of Police Lakhmi Gautam to investigate the detention of death.

Deputy Attorney General Tushar Mehta appeared in the state and said there was no objection to the composition of SIT, but an investigative body should be formed under the supervision of DGP himself.

Supreme Court Order: “In view of the nature and concerns of the allegations and concerns expressed by the High Court, we modify the order to constitute the scope of the SIT. We instruct the SIT, which consists of the officials selected by the DGP and DGP, to be considered appropriate.”

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The High Court found in police claims that Shinde was killed in “retaliatory shooting” last September after he tried to catch a gun from a Posse who accompanied him.

The April direction comes after Shinde's parents approached High Court seeking independent inquiry about their son's death in police custody. Another judicial investigation report selected a loophole in the police version of the 23-year-old's death in a retaliatory shooting. The inquiry report relies on forensics to fight the police version.

The High Court ordered Mr. Gautam to supervise the sitting position to take over the CID investigation, which found that despite repeated instructions, the latter had not registered the FIR for the custody death case. Although Shinde's parents expressed their reluctance to continue the case, HC intervened strongly.

The Supreme Court said Monday that parents can still access the competent district or conference court if they have any complaints. The Supreme Court dealt with the special leave petition filed by Maharashtra.