HC asks govt to explain stand on terror accused

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the UP government to file a reply by June 7 on a PIL seeking direction for quashing the order issued by the state for withdrawing cases against persons accused in alleged terror activities.

The order was passed by the bench of Justice Rajeev Sharma and Justice Mahendra Dayal on the PIL filed by local lawyer Ranjana Agnihotri and five others. The bench directed that the state shall file an affidavit of alleged terrorist whose cases were recently withdrawn, and whether the consent of the central government was taken.

The petitioners sought a direction from the court for quashing the order issued by the state for withdrawing cases against persons accused of alleged terror activities and serial blasts after summoning the original order from the opposite parties.
The petitioners challenged the validity of section 321 of the CrPC (provision for withdrawing cases).

They prayed for striking down section 321 as ultra vires to Article 14 of the Constitution and also declare it as unconstitutional on the ground that it affects sovereignty, integrity and internal security of the country.