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Fresh SC plea for not evicting forest dwellers, seeks SIT on illegal acquisition of tribal land

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Mar 01 2019 | 7:25 PM IST

A fresh petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the authorities not to evict any forest dweller and setting up of an SIT to look into illegal acquisition of tribal land in the country.

The plea, filed by Chhattisgarh-based Tarika Tarangini Larka, has also sought a direction to the Centre not to allot possession of any forest land belonging to tribals to anyone other than 'Adivasis' residing in that particular area.

The apex court had Thursday stayed its February 13 order directing 21 states to evict 11.8 lakh illegal forest dwellers whose claims over the forest land have been rejected by the authorities.

Advocate M L Sharma, appearing for Larka, mentioned the petition Friday for urgent listing before a bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and S K Kaul.

The bench, while referring to the order passed by another bench on Thursday in the related matter, told Sharma that the February 13 order has already been stayed.

However, when Sharma pressed for early listing of the plea, the bench asked him to mention the matter before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

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The bench said since the CJI was not holding court on Friday, Sharma can mention the matter before him next week.

In the petition, Larka has alleged that authorities in Tamnar of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh have forcefully grabbed a large area of tribal land and handed it to outsiders and now are trying to oust 'Adivasis' from the area.

"For this, they adopted simple strategy declaring forest dweller as non-Adiwasi to grab their land in the forest and village by rejecting their claim upon land," the plea said.

The plea has also sought restoration of land acquired by the government from tribals in Chhattisgarh for mining and other purposes and to provide them value of mined minerals.

The petition has also sought setting up of a special investigation team (SIT) comprising retired judges of the apex court to look into the illegal acquisition of land belonging to tribals throughout the country.

It has also sought a direction to the CBI to register an FIR under the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act to investigate the matters brought to light by the SIT and to file their report before the top court.

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First Published: Mar 01 2019 | 7:25 PM IST

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