New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said that it was not satisfied with the steps taken by the Uttar Pradesh government in the investigation of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reported ANI.
“What is the message that we are sending?” the court asked, according to Live Law. “In normal circumstances, if a 302 case [murder] is registered, what will the police do? Go and arrest the accused.”
On Thursday, the court had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report on the first information reports filed in connection with the violence.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed after violence erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3 during a protest against the Centre’s contentious agricultural laws.
Farmer bodies have alleged that a vehicle which was part of Union minister Ajay Mishra’s convoy ran over the protestors. They have claimed the vehicle belonged to the minister’s son Ashish Mishra.
The police have booked Ashish Mishra on multiple charges, including murder and criminal conspiracy. However, he has not been arrested yet. The police had summoned Mishra for questioning on Friday but he did not appear before them.
A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Hima Kohli and Surya Kant was hearing the matter after two Uttar Pradesh-based lawyers sought the Supreme Court’s intervention. Scroll. In
