New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday reiterated dissatisfaction with police probe of Lahimpur-Kheri violence dating 3 October that killed 8 persons including four farmers. The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana, Justices Surya kant and Hima Kohil remarked the ongoing investigations are “not going the way we expected.” The judges expressed wariness over the undue delay of forensic report on video evidences in the case and scrutiny of phone records of the accused. The Bench also took a critical view of pairing the case against prime accused with that of subsequent mob-lynching. The court suspected that clubbing was aimed to dilute ferocity of the original case.
Both cases must stand separate, the Bench ordered in its ruling and proposed to appoint a retired High Court judge from another state to ensure both remained detached. “There is a need to infuse fairness and impartiality in the investigation,” said the Bench in its verbal remark.
Case : A convoy carrying Union Deputy Minister of State Home Ajay Mishra’s son, Ashish Mishra, allegedly ploughed into farmers crowd on 3rd October in UP’s Lakhimpur-Kheri. The farmers were demonstrating against UP Deputy CM Kesham Prasad Maurya’s impending tour of the place, as part of their protest against centre’s farm laws. The farmers’ deaths sparked violence in which, two BJP workers, their driver and a local journalist also lost their lives.
