A blatant failure to produce an acquitted rape suspect in court has triggered severe judicial backlash against Chhattisgarh state authorities.

Raipur, April 23 — The Supreme Court has ripped into the Chhattisgarh police for failing to produce a respondent in court, demanding the Korba Superintendent of Police personally appear to explain the lapse. Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan didn’t mince words. They’ve labeled the police’s failure a blatant and deliberate violation of clear judicial directives.

Chandra Kumar Jaiswal, alias Buttu, wasn’t in the courtroom on April 20. The bench had explicitly demanded his physical presence for a hearing regarding his recent acquittal in a rape case. So, where was he? That’s the question the top court expects the Korba SP to answer on April 24 at 10:30 a.m. sharp, armed with a formal show-cause reply.

Chatt Kunwar Sarthi filed the Special Leave Petition that sparked this judicial confrontation. Sarthi is aggressively challenging an August 28, 2024, judgment by the Chhattisgarh High Court. That lower court decision wiped out Jaiswal’s rape conviction and cleared him of all charges, but Sarthi isn’t letting it stand without a fight.

On March 23, the bench ordered the Chhattisgarh government to secure Jaiswal’s presence by April 15. The state authorities actually managed to bring him to the Supreme Court premises that day. But the matter couldn’t proceed because the judges were locked in a Constitution Bench sitting. Before adjourning, the bench issued a rigid directive, making it clear the respondent absolutely had to be present on the next scheduled date.

And yet, when April 20 rolled around, Jaiswal was nowhere to be found. The court’s official order didn’t hide its irritation with the state machinery.

“We take strong exception to such conduct of the State of Chhattisgarh,” the bench stated. Their instructions hadn’t left any room for interpretation or police negligence.

The responsibility for this failure falls squarely on the shoulders of the Korba district’s top cop. The bench ordered the Superintendent of Police to formally explain why the court shouldn’t pass harsh penal orders against him for defying its authority. The Supreme Court isn’t just looking for a written apology. They’ve demanded the SP show up in person, and they’ve insisted that Jaiswal must stand before them alongside him.

The state won’t get off cheap. The justices clarified that Chhattisgarh authorities must handle the entire logistical burden and cover every rupee spent to bring the respondent back to New Delhi. They aren’t going to let bureaucratic inertia derail a critical criminal appeal.

It’s clear the bench won’t accept any more excuses.