New Delhi, Aug. 29 -- The Supreme Court has refused to roll back its directions requiring states and Union territories to constitute special investigation teams (SITs) to identify reserved forest land illegally diverted to private entities and restore it to forest departments.

A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on August 18 dismissed a curative petition filed against its May 15, 2025 judgment in the case of Richie Rich Cooperative Housing Society (RRCHS), which was allotted 11.89 hectares of land falling within a reserved forest area in Pune, Maharashtra, in October 1999.

The allotment was set aside by the top court, with the case serving as an eye-opener for the court to direct all states and Union ter...