SC Asks UP For Status Report Of Accused & Arrested By Tomorrow In Lakhimpur Kheri Case

The apex court has asked the state government to submit the status report by tomorrow.

Supreme Court of India took suo moto cognizance of Lakhimpur Kheri violence

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked CM Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report on the accused named by the Police in FIR and whether they have been arrested in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

The apex court has asked the state government to submit the status report by tomorrow, reported LIVE Law.

The Uttar Pradesh government informed the top court that a single-member Commission of Enquiry with headquarters in Lakhimpur Kheri has been constituted to investigate the death of 8 persons on October 3.

The Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana, Justice Surya Kant, and Justice Hima Kohli hearing the Lakhimpur case termed the incident as "unfortunate" and said, "There are farmers and others persons also have been murdered. we need to know who are the accused against whom FIR is registered and who is arrested. Please file a status report on this", reported Bar and Bench.

The case will be heard again on Friday.

In the wake of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, two lawyers from Uttar Pradesh had written a letter to CJI NV Ramana seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In their letter, the advocates also sought direction from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure the registration of an FIR in the matter as well as punishment to the guilty parties involved in the incident.

The case appeared in the cause list of the Supreme Court as a suo motu case.

The Court on Thursday said that matter was registered as a suo motu case due to miscommunication with the Registry.

Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in Lakhinpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre's three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3.

Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, while a local journalist was also killed in the violence.

An FIR under section 302 of IPC (murder) 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 have claimed that Ashish was in one of the cars that allegedly knocked down the protesters but the minister has denied the allegations.

Several farmer organisations are protesting against the passage of three laws -- The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 since last November.

The apex court had stayed the implementation of these laws in January.