RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma has set deadlines for district-level committees to review and withdraw eligible criminal cases pending against surrendered Maoist cadres, citing delays in the process.
Despite anti-Maoist operations dealing major blows to left-wing extremism in the state by the end of March, district-level scrutiny committees have reportedly failed to systematically review pending cases for more than six months, sources told TNIE.
Sharma convened a review meeting at the State Secretariat in Nava Raipur and gave district committees 15 days to review cases and clear the backlog. The State-Level Committee has been directed to finalise vetted submissions by November 5.
The minister said cases involving loss of life, serious violent crimes and offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) would be excluded from the withdrawal process. Other eligible cases, including procedural and less serious offences, must be reviewed for withdrawal, he said. He stressed that delays in processing cases and prolonged detention undermine efforts to rehabilitate former insurgents and integrate them into society.
The meeting also reviewed the rehabilitation of around 900 Chhattisgarh cadres who surrendered in other states and later returned. Sharma directed district administration and police officials to ensure they receive identity documents, ration cards, Ayushman Bharat health coverage, mobile phones, livelihood training kits, housing and land allocations without unnecessary delays.
To honour security personnel and civilians killed in insurgent violence since 2001, Sharma also directed officials to build public memorial parks and name schools, sports grounds and panchayat buildings after fallen security personnel.
Principal Secretary Niharika Barik, Home Secretary Neha Champawat, and Additional Directors General of Police SRP Kalluri and Vivekanand Sinha attended the meeting in person. Collectors and Superintendents of Police from Bastar, Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Kondagaon, Kabirdham, Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund, Durg and Balrampur joined virtually.
