Lakhimpur Kheri case | SC directs UP govt to 'upgrade' SIT; will appoint retd judge to lead SIT on Nov 17
The Supreme Court had earlier pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government over the delay in filing its status report in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
The Supreme Court on Monday, November 15, directed the Uttar Pradesh government to "upgrade the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and introduce senior officials" to ensure proper investigation. The SC also said that it will pass its order on appointing a judge to oversee the Lakhimpur Kheri case investigations on Wednesday when it hears the matter next.
ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: How UP Police recreated crime scene with Ashish Misra, other accused
Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre's three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3. In the violence that ensued, four more lives had been lost the same day. Union minister Ajay Misra’s son Ajay Misra is the prime accused in the case.
The Supreme Court had earlier pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government over the delay in filing its status report in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The court had said that the state government appeared to be dragging its feet over the case.
ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri: Union Minister's son Ashish Misra arrested for not cooperating with probe, say police
The UP government on Monday told the SC that the court may appoint a retired judge (SC had suggested ex-Punjab and Haryana HC Judges Ranjit Singh or Rakesh K Jain) to supervise the SIT probe into the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The top court said that it needed another day to pass the order. "We are considering former Punjab and Haryana HC Judge Rakesh Kumar Jain or others. We have to consult them," a bench headed by CJI NV Ramana said.
UP government’s counsel Harish Salve requested the names (to lead the SIT) being considered to be not exclusively from outside the Allahabad High Court as the SC was appointing a person and not looking into the high court where he was a judge.
The court said the UP government has to upgrade the SIT by inducting high-level officers as the present officials are mostly of inspector rank. The UP government assured that it will do the needful by Wednesday.
ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: SIT releases photos, seeks leads about suspects