New Delhi: The Supreme Court, taking suo motu cognizance of the incident in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, heard the matter on Thursday. A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Raman, Justice Surya Kant, and Justice Hima Kohli has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report on the matter. The Supreme Court will now hear this matter tomorrow i.e. on Friday.
The CJI, at the beginning of the hearing, said that he was written by two lawyers regarding the incident. Their names are Shivkumar Tripathi and CS Panda. The CJI had asked both the lawyers to be called in the court. Lawyer Shivakumar said that human rights violations have taken place on a large scale and the UP government did not take any action on time.
At the same time, the CJI also asked the counsel for the UP government what action has been taken in the matter. The counsel for the UP government said that a committee of retired judges has been formed. We will tell the Supreme Court through affidavit tomorrow. The Supreme Court has asked the UP government to file a status report. It is to be told in the status report that how many people have been booked and how many have been arrested.
The Supreme Court has asked the UP government that eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, have been murdered. We want to know who the accused are and whether you have arrested them or not. The CJI said that a lawyer has informed us that the mother of the deceased Lovepreet is ill. The state government should get them treated. About the condition of Lovepreet’s mother also the UP government has to inform the court tomorrow.
Advocate Shivkumar Tripathi has said in the Supreme Court, ‘I hope that the court will take our letter seriously and take action against the culprits.’ CJI NV Raman says that on Tuesday both the lawyers wrote to him. He ordered the registry to file these letters as public interest litigation. But due to some flaws, it has been registered as automatic cognizance. On Tuesday, two lawyers wrote to the Supreme Court requesting a high-level inquiry into the matter under the supervision of the apex court. The lawyers had also requested to take the letter as a PIL.
At the same time, a one-member inquiry commission has been constituted to investigate the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Former Allahabad High Court judge Pradeep Kumar Srivastava has been entrusted with this responsibility, who has been directed to complete the investigation within two months.
UP Home Department Additional Chief Secretary Avnish Awasthi said on Thursday that a notification has been issued for the formation of the commission. The commission has been given two months to investigate the matter. Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the violence that broke out during the farmers’ protest.
After the incident in Lakhimpur Kheri, there has been a political uproar in Uttar Pradesh and the opposition parties have accused the BJP government of the state of saving the culprits. Eight people were killed in the violence that broke out on October 3 during farmers’ protests ahead of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to Lakhimpur.
It is alleged that in the incident an SUV crushed four farmers who were protesting against three new agricultural laws. Later, angry protesters allegedly thrashed two BJP workers and a driver, while a local journalist also lost his life during the violence.
In this case, a case has been registered against Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra and others under the section of murder. However, no arrest has been made so far.
