Madras High Court Raises Concerns Over CBI Probe into 2018 Thoothukudi Police Firing

Key Words: Madras High Court, CBI probe, 2018 Thoothukudi police firing, anti-Sterlite protesters, Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission, NHRC investigation

On Wednesday, the Madras High Court expressed significant concerns regarding the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) inquiry into the 2018 Thoothukudi police firing, which led to the deaths of 13 anti-Sterlite protesters. The court suggested that the firing may have been orchestrated by an industrialist aiming to “teach the protesters a lesson,” allegedly with the facilitation of authorities.

In May 2018, the police opened fire on protesters in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district after the anti-Sterlite agitation turned violent. The protesters were demanding the closure of the Sterlite copper smelter unit due to severe pollution concerns.

During the hearing of a petition filed by Henri Tiphange to reopen the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) investigation into the incident, Justices SS Sundar and N Senthil Kumar scrutinized the CBI’s report, which had absolved the authorities previously indicted by the retired Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission.

“The report of an independent investigation agency is worrisome,” the court stated. “We believe that the police firing against anti-Sterlite protesters in 2018, where 13 people were killed, was a predetermined act,” the court asserted.

In response to these concerns, the court directed the state Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to investigate the assets of all officers, including those from the Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Administrative Service (IAS), who were posted in the district during the incident.

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