Uttar Pradesh agrees to appoint ex-High Court judge to monitor Lakhimpur case probe

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday agreed before the Supreme Court to a suggestion for the appointment of a retired judge to monitor the investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, related to mowing down of four farmers, and a journalist and subsequent lynching of three persons.

A bench presided over by Chief Justice N V Ramana said the court would decide upon the appointment of a retired judge of either the top court or a High Court in a day to monitor day-to-day investigation into the October 3 incident.

The court also directed the Yogi Adityanath government to upgrade its special investigating team with high-ranking officials.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing the UP government, submitted that the top court can appoint a retired judge to monitor the SIT probe. He also told the court it should not suggest that only a judge from outside the State can be appointed, "as a judge is a judge whether from the State or outside."

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"Now, we have a lot of freedom to appoint a retired SC or HC judge. Let us see,” the bench said, adding that it will find a judge who is willing to take up the assignment.

“We are considering Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, former Punjab and Haryana HC judge or others. We have to consult them," the bench said.

The court put the matter arising out of a letter written by advocate Shiv Kumar Tripathi and another, for consideration on November 17.

During the hearing, the court also asked the UP government to look into grievance of victims' families, who have not been paid compensation for their loss.

On November 8, the court slammed the Uttar Pradesh police over its handling of the probe into the case and proposed to appoint a former judge from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to monitor the ongoing investigation.

The court had criticised the mixing of witnesses in separate FIRs lodged with regard to the October 3 incident, saying it appeared the evidence was being collected in the case to protect one particular accused, in an indirect reference to prime accused Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, already arrested in the case.

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