Lakhimpur Case: SC Seeks Reply On Killing Of Journalist, Asks Forensic Labs To Expedite Process On Videos Of Incident

The SC has asked the forensic labs to expedite the process of submitting reports relating to videos of the incident.

Supreme Court of India (Representative Image)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court heard the Lakhimpur Kheri case on Tuesday which claimed the lives of 8 people including four farmers. The apex court asked the Uttar Pradesh govt to file replies on the investigation on the killing of a journalist Raman Kashyap and one Shyam Sundar in the violence.

The SC further asked the forensic labs to expedite the process of submitting reports relating to videos of the incident.

The top court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to grant protection to the witnesses of the Lakhimpur case.

A bench headed by Chief justice N V Ramana asked the Uttar Pradesh government, represented by senior advocates Harish Salve and Garima Prasad, to record the statements of other relevant witnesses before judicial magistrates under section 164 of the CrPC.

We direct the District judge concerned to entrust the task of recording of evidence under section 164 of the CrPC to the nearest judicial magistrates available, said the bench which also comprised justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, reported PTI

The bench asked Salve to convey its concerns to forensic labs and experts on the preparation of reports on the electronic evidence of the incident.

The top court, meanwhile, asked the state government to also file its report on two complaints including the one related to the lynching of a journalist.

The state is directed to file separate replies in the cases, the bench said and fixed the plea for further hearing on November 8.

Observing that the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence should not be an unending story, the Supreme Court on October 20 had rapped the government, saying the court was getting the impression that the state police was dragging its feet, and also ordered the protection of witnesses.

In the previous hearing last week, the UP government was told sternly by the judges to "dispel the feeling that you are dragging your feet" on the case.

The judges had asked why more witnesses had not been questioned by the UP government. "You have recorded the statements of only four witnesses so far out of 44. Why not more?", Chief Justice Ramana had questioned.

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 in violence that erupted during a farmers' protest.

Thirteen people, including Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra, have so far been arrested in connection with the incident.

(With agency inputs)