SC appoints ex-HC judge Rakesh Kumar Jain to monitor Lakhimpur violence probe; rejigs SIT

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court appointed retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Rakesh Kumar Jain to monitor the investigation into the Lakhimpur violence. An SC bench comprising CJI NV Ramana, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli was hearing a suo moto case emanating from a letter written by advocates Shiv Kumar Tripathi and CS Panda. During the previous hearing on November 15, the Uttar Pradesh government had agreed to the appointment of a retired non-Allahabad HC judge to monitor the probe.

The apex court observed that this will help ensure "transparency, fairness and absolute impartiality" in the investigation. Moreover, it reconstituted the SIT formed by the Yogi Adityanath-led government by including three IPS officers- SB Shirodkar, Deepinder Singh and Padmaja Chauhan in the panel. The bench also clarified that it will now hear the matter after filing of the charge sheet and the receipt of a status report from the retired judge. 

Lakhimpur violence probe

Violence broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3 leading to the death of 8 persons including 4 farmers.  Immediately after the horrific incident, UP CM Yogi Adityanath promised that the state government will expose the elements involved in the incident and take strict action against them. As per the FIR lodged by the UP police on October 4, Union MoS Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra and 15-20 unknown accused persons were booked under IPC Sections 120B, 147, 148, 149, 279, 302, 304A and 338. 

Apart from an SIT, the state government constituted a single-member Commission of Inquiry of Justice (retd.) Pradeep Kumar Srivastava to probe the Lakhimpur violence. As per a notification issued on October 6, the commission has to complete its probe within a period of two months. Furthermore, the UP police formed a 9-member monitoring committee led by DIG (Headquarters) Upendra Agrawal in connection with this case.

While Ashish Mishra was arrested on October 9, late Congress MP Akhilesh Das' nephew Ankit and his gunman Latif were taken into custody 5 days later. Sources told Republic TV that the rifle of Ashish Mishra, Ankit Das's pistol and Latif's repeater gun were seized and sent for ballistic examination. On Monday, District and Sessions Judge Mukesh Mishra turned down the bail pleas of Mishra along with co-accused Ashish Pandey and Luvkush Rana after the prosecution presented the case diary, ballistic reports of 4 firearms and statements of 60 eyewitnesses to establish their involvement in the crime.