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LAKHIMPUR VIOLENCE: SC ASKS UP TO UPGRADE SIT OFFICERS

After the Uttar Pradesh government told the Supreme Court on Monday that it can appoint a former High Court judge to oversee the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, the apex court said it has to finalise the name of the judge and will pass order on 17 November. A Bench of Chief Justice of India N.V. […]

After the Uttar Pradesh government told the Supreme Court on Monday that it can appoint a former High Court judge to oversee the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, the apex court said it has to finalise the name of the judge and will pass order on 17 November.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said they would have to talk to the judge they were considering to appoint. “We will need another day since we are considering either Rakesh Jain or some other Judge. We need to talk to the judge we will appoint,” the Bench said. At the outset, Salve told the Bench that he has taken instructions and government will leave it to the court, whoever the court considers may be appointed. The apex court also asked senior advocate Harish Salve appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government that its Special Investigation Team (SIT) has to be upgraded by including some senior officers. In the SIT most officers are from Lakhimpur only, the Bench said and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to circulate the names of IPS officers of UP cadre who do not hail from UP, for inclusion in the SIT.

Earlier, the top court had proposed to appoint a former High Court judge to monitor the ongoing investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case while expressing dissatisfaction with the Uttar Pradesh Police probe for mixing of witnesses in different FIRs in the case. The Bench had suggested the names of Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain or Justice Ranjit Singh, former judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to oversee the probe.

The top court also asked the Uttar Pradesh government to look into some persons grievance that victims of violence at Lakhimpur Kheri incidents have not been paid compensation. The hearing of the case relating to the 3 October violence in Lakhimpur Kheri is now adjourned for 17 November.

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