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The Supreme Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking a CBI probe into the alleged police encounter of 28-year-old Bharat Bhushan Tiwari in Bhojpur district in Bihar.
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Sheel Nagu told the lawyer who filed the PIL that he may approach the concerned High Court with his plea. The PIL filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari sought registration of an FIR against the police personnel who allegedly killed Tiwari and the constitution of an independent expert committee headed by a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into the extrajudicial killing. Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, a student and local activist from Bilauti village in Bihar's Bhojpur district, died in an alleged police encounter on June 17. Tiwari was known locally for aggressively raising awareness about local corruption and administrative failure, specifically highlighting the lack of government rehabilitation for flood-affected people in Jawania village. Out of frustration with government officials, Tiwari had posted videos on Facebook showcasing himself brandishing an illegal weapon and threatening to "encounter" local administrative officers. On June 16, the Bhojpur Police released an official statement declaring that Tiwari was "mentally unstable" and that they were attempting to disarm him and transfer him to a mental asylum for treatment. On June 17, a stand-off culminated in Tiwari being shot and later succumbing to his injuries during treatment. The Bhojpur Police claimed that Tiwari continuously fired 8 to 10 rounds from an illegal pistol at the police team, forcing the STF personnel to fire back in self-defence. A video streamed on Facebook Live just before the shooting showed Tiwari standing in an open field, addressing the camera and throwing his pistol toward the police in an apparent gesture of surrender. His family and residents argue that the police shot an unarmed man who had already yielded. The incident has escalated into a major political and legal crisis in Bihar. Following public outcry and heavy political pressure, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary ordered a formal independent judicial inquiry led by a retired High Court judge. The administration swiftly suspended four police officers, including the local Station House Officer (SHO), pending an investigation. Father of Bharat Bhushan Tiwari has demanded justice, raising serious concerns over the manner in which his son was killed. Speaking to reporters here, Kashinath Tiwari said, "People across the world were watching how he was killed. If I don't get justice, then what will I get? The administration, the judges, and everyone were watching as he was killed. There is nothing to hide here. They say there will be an inquiry, but no one knows what the outcome will be." (ANI)
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