Former judge dissociates from inquiry panel

Bilaspur, Mar 1 (UNI) Former Chhattisgarh High Court judge R K Varma has dissociated himself from the independent agency formed to probe into the carnage at Errabore relief camp in Dantewada district saying the state government had not taken his prior consent.

The state government tendered its apology for its lapse before a division bench of Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Vijay Kumar Shrivastava, which fixed March 9 to furnish fresh names.

Earlier, the High Court, while disposing a PIL filed by Mr Pratap Narayan Agrawal of Jagdalpur, directed that an independent agency be formed to probe into the death of 39 tribals lodged in Errabore relief camp last year in a naxalite attack.

Along with Justice Mr Varma, the state government had recommended senior journalists Mr Baban Prasad Mishra (Raipur) and Mr N K Singh (Jaipur) for the panel.

UNI