'Peace process underway': Supreme Court defers plea for probe into 2018 Sukma encounter

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear in July a plea for an independent probe into the August 2018 incident in which 15 alleged Maoists were gunned down in an encounter in Sukma district.

"We will have it somewhere in July. Now, the peace process is going on there. Today, there is a news that 26 people have surrendered," a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih said.

The bench observed such litigations would come in the way of the peace process.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said the plea was filed by a Telangana-based NGO to demoralise the security forces in Chhattisgarh.

He claimed false statements were made in the plea and the authority concerned had filed an application seeking an apex court-monitored investigation into the source of the petition.

He argued some false photographs of incidents that had taken place in Odisha and Gadchiroli were filed in the plea and when this was pointed out, the petitioner said it was a mistake.

While posting the matter in July, the bench observed even in Manipur, both the sides wanted peace in the state.

The Chhattisgarh government had earlier opposed the plea, saying that "bogus claims" were made in it.

The state government had said photographs attached with the plea were not of the alleged incident.

The plea has sought a probe into the encounter by either the CBI or a special investigation team.

On April 2, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma claimed of already being ready for unconditional peace talks with Maoists, after the rebel group showed willingness to declare a "ceasefire" with preconditions.

A statement attributed to outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), which was being circulated on social media on April 2, set preconditions for a ceasefire, including halting anti-Naxal operations and stopping setting up of new camps of security forces.

The banned group, which has been facing depletion in its ranks following heavy casualties in frequent encounters with security forces, has asked Central and state governments to create a conducive environment for peace talks.

The statement of March 28, 2025 purportedly issued by Abhay, a spokesperson of the central committee of Maoists, surfaced two days ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit to Chhattisgarh.

At least 26 Naxalites, including three carrying bounties, surrendered before security forces in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on April 7, police said.