New Delhi: In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of the Indian Army, setting aside criminal proceedings against 30 army personnel accused of killing 14 civilians in Nagaland in December 2021, India Today reported.
“The proceedings in the impugned FIRs shall stand closed. However, if sanction is granted, it may be taken to its logical conclusion. On disciplinary action, we have said the Armed Forces can do the needful,” the Supreme Court said.
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The incident occurred when army personnel mistook a group of coal miners for insurgents in Oting village Nagaland’s Mon district.
The subsequent firing led to the tragic deaths of the civilians. Following public outrage and demands for justice, the Nagaland government had registered a case against the army personnel.
However, the Supreme Court’s ruling, based on technical grounds related to the absence of necessary sanctions from the central government for prosecuting army personnel under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), has raised concerns about the accountability of the military in such cases.
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Critics argue that the decision undermines the principles of justice and the rule of law.