Jharkhand High Court has upheld the decision of its single bench to provide Special Task Force ( STF)Allowance of 40 percent of their basic salary or up to Rs 25,000, whichever is less to Jaguar cops.

Jaguar cooks and other jawans falling in the category of fourth grade, who move with the assault force of a battalion in difficult areas, have got their three-year-old demand fulfilled.

In fact, they had moved the Jharkhand High Court for an allowance and additional compensatory leave of 20 days which was stopped in November 2021.

The single bench of the Jharkhand High Court had passed its verdict ordering the state government to provide them STF of 40 percent or Rs 25,000 allowance. 

This decision was challenged by the state government. But the division bench headed by Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court Sanjay Kumar Mishra, who heard arguments of both sides, upheld the judgment of the single bench and dumped the appeal of the state government.

Notably, Jharkhand Jaguar, a special task force set up to tackle Maoists, has played an important role in fighting the terrorists in the state.

"Maoist activities have reduced to the maximum extent... with Jharkhand Jaguar discharging an important role in the country to root out Naxalism," ex-Inspector General of Police (STF) Ashish Batra is on record having said in Ranchi.

Mr Batra had also said that the Jharkhand Jaguar had killed 26 Maoists with a maximum of seven being killed in 2018-19. The force has arrested 257 Maoists and recovered weapons, bullets, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other materials during anti-Maoist operations during the period, he said at the 12th Foundation Day of the force.