Supreme Court to Form High-Powered Panel Over Alleged Police Brutality During CJP Protests

The Supreme Court has paved the way for an independent, high-powered inquiry into allegations of police excesses and violence linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests. The court has said the allegations on record warrant a fair, thorough and evidence-based examination.

What the Supreme Court said

The court indicated that the proposed mechanism would examine allegations against police as well as claims of attacks on police personnel. It stressed that competing claims should be tested through an impartial investigation rather than decided only on the basis of allegations.

Interim protection and evidence preservation

The court also issued directions concerning protesters, including safeguards for minors without criminal antecedents, and ordered preservation of relevant CCTV, drone, body-camera and other digital evidence.

Why the panel matters

The proposed inquiry is significant because the protests and allegations extend beyond one location. The court is considering a mechanism capable of examining incidents across the affected states and assessing whether crowd-control procedures were followed.