'We Did Not Ask For Sealed Cover ' : Supreme Court To UP Govt Over Delayed Status Report in Lakhimpur Kheri Case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the State of Uttar Pradesh for delay in filing a status report in the recent violence incident at Lakhimpur Kheri, which was filed by the in a sealed cover.

A Bench comprising CJI NV Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli observed that the report should have been filed at least one day before the hearing to give the Court enough time to peruse it.

Senior Advocate Harish Salve for State of Uttar Pradesh informed the Court that a status report has been filed by the State. The Bench however remarked that if reports are filed last minute, it becomes difficult for the Court to read it

"Last minute if it is filed how will we read it?" CJI asked.

Explaining the reason of delay in filing the status report, Senior Advocate Salve submitted that their understanding was that the report had to be given in a sealed cover.

The Bench however observed that it did not ask for the report to be given in sealed cover, and should have been submitted at least a day before the hearing.

"No no not at all. Just now we received. We expect that it is at least one day before" CJI responded.

"We did not ask for sealed cover", Justice Surya Kant observed.

CJI added that the Judges waited till 1 am on Wednesday, for some additional material from the State but nothing was filed.

The Bench was hearing a PIL filed seeking a time-bound CBI probe into the recent violent incident of Lakhimpur Kheri, which claimed the lives of 8 people, four of them being farmers protesters who were allegedly mowed down by the vehicles in the convoy of Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister and BJP MP Ajay Kumar Mishra.

The bench also commented that it is getting the impression that the UP Police is "dragging its feet" in the investigation.

The bench made this oral observation after noting that the statements of only 4 witnesses have been recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, although there are 44 witnesses.

The hearing will continue on October 26. For detailed report of the hearing, read here.

Lakhimpur Kheri Case : 'We Get The Impression That You Are Dragging Your Feet', Supreme Court Tells UP Police

Case : In Re Violence In Lakhimpur Kheri(UP) Leading To Loss Of Life| WP(Crl) No.426/2021

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