The Chhattisgarh government on Thursday added two members to the judicial commission to probe the massacre of frontline Congress leaders at Jheeram Valley in Bastar on May 25, 2013.
Justice Satish K. Agnihotri will head the Commission as Chairman while Justice G. Minhajuddin, a retired judge of the High Court of Chhattisgarh, will be a member. The panel has been asked to submit its report within six months.
Justice Prashant Mishra, who heads the Commission, has been transferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court as Chief Justice. Thus, two new members are being appointed, an official order said.
The term of reference has been expanded by adding three points: were the victims provided timely medical help and if steps have been taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents. The Commission or the government can fix or add other issues.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and the Congress have been vocal since the submission of the Justice Prashant Mishra Commission submitted its report to Governor Anusuiya Uikey.
They said that it was against the established norms as the notification of commission states that the report must be submitted to the government.
Alleged Naxalites targeted a Congress Parivartan Yatra in Bastar in 2013 killing among others PCC President Nand Kumar Patel, his elder son Dinesh Patel, Mahendra Karma, Uday Mudaliar, Dinesh Patel and former Union Minister Vidya Charan Shukla.