SC seeks lynching case report from UP govt

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Meerut inspector general of police to file a report in view of “serious allegations” of the lynching of a man in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, and assault of another person by a mob on the pretext that they were involved in cow-slaughter.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued a notice to the state government on a plea by Samiuddin, 64, that he along with 45-year-old meat trader Qasim Qureishi were brutally assaulted on June 18 by a mob.

The Hapur police registered a case of road rage instead of mob lynching, though Qureishi died after the incident, the petitioner claimed.

“The Inspector General of Police, Meerut (Range) shall submit a report with regard to the incident in question. We have directed so keeping in view the serious allegations/ assertions made in the writ petition,” the bench said.

On a plea made by senior advocate K V Vishwanathan, representing the petitioner, the top court also directed the senior police officer to approach the competent magistrate for the recording of the statement of the victim under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The court also directed the Hapur Superintendent of Police to provide protection to the petitioner if he had a sense of insecurity. “Do the needful so that they do not remain in a state of fear,” the bench said.

The court fixed the matter for consideration on August 28. The petitioner, among others, sought a direction for a SIT probe and transfer of the trial outside the state.

The petition also sought cancellation of bail granted to the accused, including alleged key offender Yudhishthir Singh Sisodia, after the emergence of video clip wherein he purportedly owned up the incident.