Lakhimpur Kheri case: Supreme Court seeks status report from Uttar Pradesh government

The Apex court clarified that the Lakhimpur Kheri matter was mistakenly listed by the Supreme Court Registry as a "suo motu" case. Thursday's hearing was on the basis of a PIL filed by two lawyers

The Supreme Court.on Thursday called for a status report from the Uttar Pradesh government over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident by Friday. The court has also asked for details of persons against whom FIR has been registered and whether or not they have been arrested.

The Supreme Court direction came as took up hearing on the Lakhimpur Kheri case in which eight people lost their lives on October 3. unlike reported earlier, the Apex court clarified that the Lakhimpur Kheri matter was mistakenly listed by the Supreme Court Registry as a “suo motu” case. 

The matter was to be taken up as a PIL on the basis of two letters written by two advocates, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said. Besides CJI Ramana, the three-judge bench also comprised of Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.

Hours before the hearing, the Uttar Pradesh government announced the setting up a one-man commission

Retired Allahabad High Court Judge Pradeep Kumar Srivastava will be conducting an investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri case.

Opposition parties have been asking for a high court-monitored probe into the incident where Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish has been accused of running over protesting farmers in Tikunia village on Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a clearer video of the incident has emerged which shows a jeep ramming into protesters intentionally.

However, the Union minister has maintained that neither he nor his son Ashish was present on the spot when the incident happened.

Earlier, welcoming the Supreme Court decision to hear the case, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said that only the courts in India can restore the faith of the voiceless.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is expected to visit Lakhimpur Kheri today and meet the kin of the farmers who lost their lives in the incident.