New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government once again faced the Supreme Court’s wrath for its handling of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The apex court on Wednesday rapped the state government for delay in recording statements of witnesses before a judicial magistrate and said it should ‘dispel’ the impression that the state is dragging its feet in the matter.
“We think you are dragging your feet. You please dispel this,” a three-bench judge comprising Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli told the UP government’s counsel.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed during a farmers’ protest in UP’s Lakhimpur district on October 3.
Earlier this month, Supreme Court had pulled up the government over delay in making arrests despite filing an FIR against prime accused Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister Ajay Mishra.
Also Read: Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: Union Minister’s Son Summoned By Police, Post SC Rap
Ashish Mishra, who is in judicial custody currently, has been denied bail.
On Wednesday, senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the UP government, submitted that a report on the case has been filed in a sealed cover.
“No, that was not required and we have just received it now… we waited till 1 am last night for any filing. But we received nothing,” the bench responded.
The apex court, which had taken suo moto cognizance after two lawyers wrote to the CJI, was informed that the statements of 4 out of 44 witnesses in the case have been recorded before a judicial magistrate).
The bench then asked, “Why haven’t other witnesses recorded their statements?”
As Salve said that other witnesses’ statements were being recorded, but the courts were closed, the CJI queried, “Criminal courts closed for Dussehra vacation?”
The CJI added: “This should not be an unending story, this is all we want.”
Salve asked for more time after which the Supreme Court set the next hearing on October 26.
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