Shouldn't be unending story, says SC to UP govt over Lakhimpur Kheri massacre

Supreme Court rapped the Uttar Pradesh government for delay in recording statements of witnesses before a judicial magistrate in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, where eight persons were killed, and also told the state government to dispel the impression that it is dragging its feet in the matter.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, chided the Uttar Pradesh government for not recording the statement of all witnesses and adjourned the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to the violence at Lakhimpur Kheri where eight including four farmers were killed after a car ploughed into the farmers' rally, to October 26.

A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli observed that they were of the view that the UP government is dragging its feet.

"We assume that you are dragging your feet. Please dispel this," the bench said while directing the state to record statements of all the remaining witnesses in the case before a judicial magistrate.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, submitted that a report on the incident has been filed in a sealed cover.

"We have just received it now...we waited till 1 am last night for any filing. But we received nothing. We need at least one day to go through the report," the bench said.

Salve informed the bench that four of the 44 witnesses in the matter have recorded their statements under Section 164 (before a judicial magistrate), and 10 accused have been arrested so far.

Salve said there are two crimes: One where the car was driven into farmers and the other one was in connection with the lynching.

The bench shot back at the Uttar Pradesh government counsel as to why they haven't recorded the statements of remaining witnesses.

Salve submitted that the statements of other witnesses were being recorded, but the courts were closed due to Dussehra holidays.

The Chief Justice observed that investigations should not be an unending story and added, "this is all we want". Salve sought time in the matter. After hearing arguments, the bench posted the matter for further hearing to October 26.

The top court had registered a petition on the basis of a letter by two lawyers seeking a probe by the CBI in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

On October 3, a car belonging to Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Mishra, ploughed into the farmers' rally against the Centre's three contentious farm laws ahead of a demonstration. Four farmers were killed in the incident. In the melee that followed, four more people including the driver of Ashish Mishra lost their lives.