The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report on who the accused are against whom FIR has been filed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and how many of them have been arrested. The Supreme Court order came even as Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday arrested two accused in connection with the violence, police said, adding they are sending summons to the main accused, Ashish Mishra, for questioning.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli also sought a report from the state government on the status of the case registered in connection with the 3 October incident and the PILs in the matter before Allahabad High Court. “It’s in the petition that eight persons, farmers and a journalist, and other persons have been killed. We need to know who are accused, against whom FIR has been filed, and if they have been arrested. Add that in your status report,” the Bench said.
The CJI also read a message received from advocate Amritpal Singh Khalsa that the mother of the deceased Lovepreet Singh is in critical condition due to the shock of her son’s death and directed the Uttar Pradesh government to get her admitted to the nearest medical facility immediately and extend all facilities to her.
As advocate Garima Prasad, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, told the Bench the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was “unfortunate”, the CJI said, “We also feel that way, eight people lost their lives.” Prasad said the entire incident will be properly looked into and investigation is proceeding. “We will file a report and FIR is there,” she said. To this, the CJI said the grievance is that they were not investigating properly. Prasad replied that a commission of inquiry has been formed on Lakhimpur Kheri violence and a status report will be filed in the case.
The Bench said it will hear the matter tomorrow. At the outset, the Bench said two advocates—Shiv Kumar Tripathi and C.S. Panda—have written a letter on Tuesday. “We directed our Registry to register the letter as PIL, but due to miscommunication, they registered it as suo motu. However, it doesn’t matter. There was some confusion. Call these two advocates,” the CJI said.
Yesterday, the list of the Supreme Court showed that it has registered a suo motu case on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that killed eight people. However, the CJI today clarified that he had asked the Registry to register the letter as PIL and because of some miscommunication, it was registered as a suo motu case.
One of the advocates Shiv Kumar Tripathi, who wrote a letter to the CJI on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, appeared before the Bench and argued that a number of farmers and other people have died due to negligence of administration and the court should take appropriate action in this regard. There is human rights violation and the Uttar Pradesh government has not taken any steps, he said, adding that a letter petition was filed to register the FIR against culprits.
Meanwhile, a single-member commission of enquiry with headquarters at Lakhimpur Kheri was constituted to investigate the death of the eight persons. The Uttar Pradesh government has appointed retired Allahabad High Court judge Pradeep Kumar Srivastava as a single-member Commission to inquire about the incident and the enquiry is to be completed within a period of two months.
Local farmers blame Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ajay Kumar Mishra “Teni” and his son Ashish Mishra for the violence that left eight dead, including four farmers, a local journalist and others. They were mowed down by a vehicle that was part of the convoy of the minister.
Videos are also being circulated on social media where a Mahindra Thar was seen knocking down protesters from behind. The minister and his son deny the charges. Ashish Mishra and 20 others have been booked for murder, but have not been arrested yet. The Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday arrested two accused in connection with Lakhimpur Kheri violence, said the police. The arrested persons have been identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey. Inspector-General of Police (IG), Lucknow range, Lakshmi Singh on Thursday told journalists that the police are sending summons to the main accused, Ashish Mishra, for questioning. Uttar Pradesh police have pasted a notice outside the residence of Ajay Kumar Mishra in Lakhimpur Kheri, asking his son Ashish Mishra to appear before it on 8 October in connection with the violence.
In another development, amid speculation that he might skip the function due to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that allegedly involves his son, Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra on Thursday attended the event of the Bureau of Police and Research and Development (BPR&D). There was speculation that the Minister, who has been facing political backlash since Sunday after his son’s name came in the violence, may skip the BPR&D event linked to the 7th National Conference of Heads of Prisons of all states and union territories. “I have the invitation and I will be joining the function at its scheduled time…” Mishra had said. Amid the ongoing developments following the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, the Minister also joined his office yesterday here at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and assured a “fair investigation in the case” in which his son is accused.
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday filed an FIR for murder against Ashish Mishra, Ajay Mishra’s son. It has been alleged that Ashish ran his car over the protesting farmers.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Thursday urged the government to immediately “arrest the culprits of the Lakhimpur massacre”.