Lakhimpur Kheri violence: SC unhappy with UP govt report, to appoint ex-HC judge to monitor probe

New Delhi: The Supreme Court began hearing the cases related to the October 3 violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight persons, including four farmers, were killed during a farmers’ protest.

The Supreme Court on Monday proposed to appoint a former High Court judge to monitor the ongoing investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case where eight persons, including four farmers, were killed during a farmers’ protest.

A Bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli expressed dissatisfaction with the Uttar Pradesh Police probe and mixing of witnesses in different FIRs in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. The investigation is “not going the way we expected”, the Bench said.

Supreme Court expresses dissatisfaction over mixing of witnesses in different FIRs in Lakhimpur Kheri violence case & proposes to appoint a former judge from Punjab and Haryana High Court to monitor the ongoing investigation

— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2021

The Supreme Court told the Uttar Pradesh government that both Lakhimpur Kheri incidents – mowing down of protesting farmers by a vehicle and the lynching of the accused – have to be probed and taken to a logical conclusion. Senior advocate Harish Salve appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government told the Supreme Court that lab reports will come by November 15.

“Only Ashish Mishra’s phone has been seized what about others?,” asks Supreme Court from the Uttar Pradesh government.

Earlier, the Apex Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide protection to the witnesses in the violence.

A single-member Commission of Enquiry with headquarters at Lakhimpur Kheri has been constituted to investigate the death of eight persons in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Uttar Pradesh government has appointed retired Allahabad High Court judge Pradeep Kumar Srivastava as a single-member Commission to inquire about the incident and probe to be completed within a period of two months.

Local farmers blame Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni’ and his son for the violence that left eight dead, including four farmers a local journalist and others. They were mowed down by a vehicle that was part of the convoy of the minister in Lakhimpur Kheri in north-central Uttar Pradesh.

Videos are also being circulated on social media where a Mahindra Thar was seen knocking down protesters from behind.

The minister and his son deny the charges. Ashish Mishra and 20 others have been booked for murder but have not been arrested yet.