Supreme Court Closes Criminal Case Against 30 Army Personnel in 2021 Nagaland Killings
The court ruled that proceedings could be reopened if the central government grants prosecution sanction, while the Nagaland government challenges the denial of such sanction.
- The Supreme Court has closed criminal proceedings against 30 Army personnel involved in a 2021 counter-insurgency operation in Nagaland that resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians.
- The court's decision hinges on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which requires prior sanction from the central government for prosecution of Army personnel.
- The central government denied prosecution sanction in February 2023, but the Nagaland government is challenging this decision in a separate petition.
- The Supreme Court's ruling allows for the possibility of reopening the case if the central government grants the necessary prosecution sanction in the future.
- The Nagaland government's petition argues that the denial of sanction was arbitrary and not based on substantial evidence, and the case remains a point of contention between state and central authorities.
Hindustan Times 
