Mohammed Akhlaq lynching case: Uttar Pradesh court rejects govt application to withdraw all charges against accused

Lucknow: In a setback to the Uttar Pradesh government, a court in Noida on Tuesday rejected an application seeking to withdraw all charges against the accused person in infamous Mohammed Akhlaq lynching case and ordered expeditious trial of the matter.

The case pertained to the alleged lynching of Mohammed Akhlaq at Bisahada village in Dadri in the district in 2015 by a mob after rumors that he had slaughtered a cow and stored its meat in his house.

The court said that there was no legal basis to accept the withdrawal application.

The court, while fixing January six for further hearing of the matter, directed to expedite the trial by hearing the matter on a daily basis and also directed the prosecution to record the statement of the witnesses.

Additional district judge Sourav Dwivedi also directed to provide security to the witnesses, if needed.

The prosecution lawyer had earlier contended that withdrawal of the case would lead to restoration of communal harmony.

Akhlaq was allegedly lynched by a mob in the night of September 28, 2015 which barged into his house following rumors of cow slaughter and storing its meat in his house. While Akhlaq died on the spot, his son Danish was seriously injured in the attack.

As many as 18 people, including three minors, were arrested in connection with the matter. Fourteen people were currently out on bail. The lynching had triggered a nationwide outrage.