Supreme Court Orders New Investigation Team to Probe Allegations Against MP Minister Govind Singh Rajput

The Supreme Court has recently directed the formation of a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate allegations against Madhya Pradesh Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Govind Singh Rajput. These allegations involve the alleged illegal detention of an OBC (Other Backward Class) leader, Man Singh Patel.

The court’s decision came after a writ petition was filed by the OBC Mahasabha, seeking a direction like ‘Habeas Corpus’ to produce Man Singh Patel before the Court. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the Director General of Police (DGP), Madhya Pradesh, to constitute the SIT, which must complete the investigation within four months.

The SIT will include the Inspector General, Senior Superintendent of Police, and Superintendent or Additional Superintendent of Police from the MP cadre but without roots in the state. They may appoint junior police officers to assist in the investigation. The court clarified that the observations made in the order are not meant to cause any prejudice to MLA Rajput or other private respondents.

The court also ordered that missing persons should be immediately registered as an FIR, initially against unknown persons. The SIT should not take the complainant Sita Ram Patel’s version as absolute truth, as he has been known to change his statements. The investigation should include statements from OBC Mahasabha members and other responsible persons in the area, which shall be video-graphed.

Reacting to the Supreme Court’s directions, Minister Rajput stated, “Whatever the Supreme Court’s decision has come, it has not made any comment against me, nor has any notice been issued against me till date.” He added, “I welcome the decision to form the SIT and I want the truth to prevail.”