Supreme court slams Odisha High Court for ordering dalits, adivasi accused to clean police station

The Supreme Court of India has slammed Odisha High Court  terming one of its orders as ‘violation of human rights’ after it ordered dalit and adivasi accused to clean police station for a period of two months.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi was reportedly hearing the suo motu cognisance,  when they observed that the court was deeply disappointed and disheartened by the orders, reportedly quoting it as ‘violative of human rights’ and ‘strike at the dignity of the accused’.

During the hearing, the bench reportedly declared the condition imposed by Odisha court as null and void, directing petitioners to approach the state judiciary to delete such conditions. The bench also ordered the release of the accused on bail.

The controversy erupts from the protests against the acquisition of land for bauxite mining by the Vedanta Group, which turned violent with demonstrators from dalit and adivasi communities allegedly attacking  Vedanta officials with axes. After the protest, around 40 persons were arrested by police.

This matter went to Odisha High Court and its sub-ordinate courts where they reportedly ordered the accused to clean the police stations for release on bail.