Can consider appointing retired SC judge to monitor Lakhimpur Kheri probe: SC
Darpan News Desk IANS, 15 Nov, 2021 12:14 PM
New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday said it will also consider the names of some retired apex court judges to monitor day-to-day investigation in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident. The top court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to upgrade its task force investigating the matter with some high-ranking officials.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, submitted that the top court can appoint a retired judge to monitor the SIT probe.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said, "Now, we have a lot of freedom for a retired SC or HC judge. Let us see..."
The bench noted that it will find out a judge who is willing to take up the assignment.
During the hearing, the top court emphasized that the Uttar Pradesh government should upgrade the task force investigating the matter. It said the officers must be high-ranking officers, currently there are local Lakhimpur Kheri, sub-inspector level and DSP level officers on the task force.
The bench told Salve that it needs one more day's time to finalise the name of the judge. "We are considering Rakesh Kumar Jain (former Punjab and Haryana HC judge) or others. We have to consult them," said the bench.
Salve submitted, "Judge can be appointed from any other state".
Earlier, the top court had said it wanted to appoint a judge outside of Uttar Pradesh.
Concluding the hearing, the top court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to look into grievances of the victim's families, who have not been paid compensation. Additional Advocate General Garima Prasad submitted that the state would take necessary steps.
The violence occurred on October 3, resulting in the killing of eight persons, including four farmers who were allegedly mowed down by the vehicles in the convoy of Ashish Misra, the son of Union Minister and BJP MP Ajay Kumar Misra.
Concerned over the manner in which Bollywood is being "targeted" by the Narcotics Control Bureau for the past over one year, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will write to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik said on Tuesday.
After examining the plea, an order was passed by a bench of Justices A.G. Masih and A.K. Verma to enable the prosecuting agency to proceed as per law, an official statement quoting the office of Advocate General A.P.S. Deol said.
With the financial assistance of the US-based United Sikh Mission, a 525 KW capacity solar power plant was commissioned in the holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, in Amritsar on Tuesday.
The group was also found to have been involved in receiving a substantial part of sale consideration in cash and thereby suppressing the turnover. The seized documents reveal suppression of turnover of around Rs 90 crore per annum. Incriminating documents related to the undisclosed sale of scrap have also been seized, the department said in a statement.
Reacting strongly to the IGI airport authorities sending Darshan Singh Dhaliwal back to the US after denying him entry to India, five-time Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "intervene personally and effectively" to get the order vacated.
One incident was reported in the Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology located on the outskirts of Sangrur town, while another was reported from Rayat Bahrat University in Kharar in Mohali district.
