The Supreme Court reprimanded the government for submitting the report at the last minute.
New Delhi:
The Uttar Pradesh government faced tough questions from the Supreme Court over the killing of farmers at a protest in Lakhimpur Kheri and was asked to “remove the feeling” that you are dragging your feet.
Ordering the UP government to preserve and record the statements of all witnesses, the Supreme Court said, “it should not be an endless story”.
The Supreme Court had sought a status report from the state government that all have been arrested and for what offence.
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana told senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the UP government, “We waited till 1 pm last night to see if we would get the material.”
Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra is accused of crushing farmers during a protest on October 3. Ashish Mishra was arrested on October 11, three days after the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with the action of the Uttar Pradesh government.
Mr. Salve said the report was submitted yesterday in a sealed cover.
“If it is filed last minute then how can we read it? At least file it a day before,” the Chief Justice said.
The judges also asked why the UP government did not examine more witnesses.
“You have recorded statements of only 4 out of 44 witnesses so far. Why not more?” asked Chief Justice Ramana.
“The process is still on. And all the key accused have been arrested,” replied Mr. Salve.
When the Supreme Court asked how many had been arrested, it said: “The arrests were made for two offences – one for crushing farmers and the other for mobbing people linked to a car. In the first case, 10 were arrested. Is. “
The court ordered the state government to rescue the witnesses and examine them further.
“Until the police interrogate him, we will not get anything more on this issue. It should not be an endless story,” the Chief Justice said.
Justice Hima Kohli said: “We think you are dragging your feet. Please take it away.”
A bench of Chief Justice Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hema Kohli had on October 8 expressed dissatisfaction with the steps taken by the UP government.
Mr. Salve admitted on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government that “not enough was done”. Ashish Mishra did not attend the police summons on the day of hearing.
“Yes, the authorities should have done the necessary work…” Mr. Salve told the court.
The Chief Justice had said, “We are not satisfied with the action taken by the UP government so far. We expect a responsible government and police. The allegations are very serious, including bullet injuries.”
After the Supreme Court pulled up the UP government and the police, Ashish Mishra was finally called for questioning and everyone was arrested and for which crime a status report was sought.
Both Ashish Mishra and his father have denied all the allegations. Mr Mishra told NDTV that the car belonged to his family, but neither he nor his son was in it at the time of the incident.
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