08 Oct , 2021 By : Kanchan Joshi
Lakhimpur Kheri violence case: The Supreme Court Friday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for not acting against the main accused in Lakhimpur violence case. The court said it was not satisfied with the steps taken by the state government and questioned it over not arresting the accused against whom FIR has been lodged.
Eight people lost their lives in the violence on Sunday (3 October).
CJI N V Ramana-headed bench told UP government's advocate Harish Salve to communicate to the top most police official that evidence and other relevant materials in the case are not destroyed.
“What is the message you (state) are sending," said the bench. It asked the state whether accused in other cases lodged under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code are treated the same way.
“If you see the FIR, section 302 is there. Is it the same way you treat other accused," the bench asked, while terming it as a “very serious charge".
The SC has posted the matter for hearing on 20 October.
The violence triggered after four farmers were mowed down by an SUV linked to MoS Home Ajay Mishra. The incident happened when a group of protesting farmers was holding a demonstration against the visit of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3.
Following the incident, two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesting farmers, while a local journalist was also killed in the violence.
An FIR under section 302 of the IPC has been registered against the Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra and others in the incident in Tikonia police station but no arrest has been made so far.
Farmer leaders claim that Ashish was in one of the cars that allegedly knocked down the protesters but the minister has denied the allegations. The UP Police have summoned Ashish for Saturday. This is the second summon as he failed to appear on Friday, as was directed by the police in the first notice.
0 Comment