'It might take 5 yrs to complete trial', judge tells SC in Lakhimpur Kheri case
Darpan News Desk IANS, 11 Jan, 2023 12:26 PM
New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) A trial court in Uttar Pradesh, which is hearing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, has informed the Supreme Court that it might take five years to complete the trial in normal course. The cases involve Ashish Mishra as the prime accused, who is son of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and V. Ramasubramanian noted that the sessions judge says that in normal course, it may take five years. The sessions judge, in a letter sent to the apex court, said there are 208 prosecution witnesses, 171 documents, and 27 forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports in the case.
The top court was hearing a bail plea filed by Ashish Mishra. During the hearing, the top court asked the Uttar Pradesh government counsel to confirm whether four accused in a separate case lodged over the killing of three occupants of the car, which allegedly mowed down farmers, are still in custody. The bench scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 19.
Last month, the apex court had asked the sessions court how much time in normal course would it take to complete the trial in the case.
On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri in clashes during a farmers' protest. Mishra was arrested in the case.
The family members of the farmers, mowed down by a car belonging to Mishra in Lakhimpur Kheri, have been opposing Mishra's bail plea.
The trial court, last month, had framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for alleged offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and others in the case.
A Vigilance Bureau spokesman said during the ongoing investigation in the alleged corruption for cutting khair trees, issuance of NOCs for commercial establishments, purchase of tree guards worth crores of rupees, etc, circumstantial evidences surfaced on record against Kumar, on the basis of which he was named accused.
The accused was allowed treatment at the Meggaon Hospital of Shivamogga considering his heart ailment on Wednesday. Murugha Sharanaru was arrested following the complaint by two minor girls, who accused him of sexually exploiting them and threatening them.
A senior CBI official said that a case was registered against the Ved Prakash, the SI posted at Police Station Jaffarpur Kalan, District Dwarka, Delhi on a complaint. It was alleged that the accused was demanding Rs 50,000 from the victim for helping with a complaint pending against him besides settling a land dispute in his favour.
The Chief Minister said instead of paddy, the farmer of the state is ready to sow sunflower, maize, and pulses but for that they must get adequate and assured price. He said this will help checking the depleting water table in the state, on one hand, and making agriculture a profitable venture on the other.
Two persons injured in a road accident on Tuesday-- Sumit Gaur (21),and Mahboob Siddique (20) -- were declared dead and their bodies were kept at the hospital morgue overnight. When Sumit's relatives arrived at the mortuary to claim the body on Wednesday, they found multiple bite marks on his face. The rats had nibbled the nose, they alleged.
Raids on locations related to Popular Front of India (PFI) are being carried out in eight places in Uttar Pradesh. Mohammad Waseem, resident of Indira Nagar in Lucknow, has been taken away by the NIA sleuths, according to official sources. Waseem runs a tailoring shop and digital documents were recovered from his possession during the raid.
