Lakhimpur : The Supreme Court on Wednesday has taken suo motu in the Lakhimpur violence case, the act which took 8 lives. The Supreme Court has listed the matter before a three-judge bench on Thursday.
A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana will hear the suo motu case. The CJI will be flanked by Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli on the Bench. Earlier this week, the Uttar Pradesh government had initiated a judicial probe into the matter headed by a retired High Court judge.
Four farmers a journalist and three BJP workers, died in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri after they were allegedly run over by a car that was part of the convoy of Ashish Misra.
The court rarely takes such issue in their hands, unless they are serious that ignoring them would affect public interest, basic rights and the conscience of the country.
The court’s decision to take up the case, now titled ‘In re: Violence in Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) leading to loss of life’ comes just 48 hours after a Bench of the court lashed out at farmers’ bodies, connecting their nearly year-long protests against farm laws to the violence that occurred in Lakhimpur Kheri.
That Bench, led by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, had said that “nobody takes responsibility” when incidents like Lakhimpur Kheri occurred.
“When such incidents happen, causing deaths, loss to property and damage, nobody takes responsibility,” Justice Khanwilkar had observed on October 4.
Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, for the Centre, had described the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on Sunday an “unfortunate incident”.
“No more unfortunate incidents like this should take place… The protests must stop,” Mr. Venugopal, supported by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, had submitted.
The incident took place during a protest by local farmers who had planned to show black flags to UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was slated to visit Tikunia, which is Misra’s ancestral village.
On Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh Police registered an FIR against Ashish Misra at Tikunia police station in connection with the death of four farmers who were allegedly mowed down by a vehicle.
Ashish Misra has been booked under Sections 302 (murder), 304-A (death caused by reckless driving), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting), 279 (rash driving) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by negligence).
Opposition parties have been demanding the immediate arrest of Ashish Misra, along with the removal of Ajay Misra from the Union Cabinet.
However, Ashish Misra has claimed that he was not inside any of the vehicles that were part of the convoy
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