The role of the centre in the creation and funding of anti-Naxal armed group of special police officers (SPOs) to fight Maoists today came under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court which said several serious issues arises from their existence.

"What is the role of the centre? We have come to know that 80 percent of the funds for the SPOs come from the centre," a bench comprising justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar said.

It also expressed anguish that Chhattisgarh government has not responded properly on the action taken by it on the complaint of social activist Swami Agnivesh who was attacked last month by a group of people, allegedly consisting of SPOs and Salwa Judum volunteers, when he was visiting a Naxal-hit region near Dantewada with activists of the Art of Living of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

The bench wanted to know from the state government why the investigation into the incident be not handed over to some independent agency.

"Swamy Agnivesh has raised a very serious issue in his affidavit. What is the fate of the FIR, nobody knows. Why not an independent investigation be ordered, at least regarding two villages where 300 houses were burnt and two women were criminally assaulted and raped"? the bench said.