Lakhimpur Kheri violence: SC To Appoint Ex-High Court Judge To Monitor Probe

New Delhi: Miffed over the status report filed by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence which erupted on October 3rd, the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday said it would appoint a former judge of a high court from outside UP to monitor the investigation.

While hearing the matter on Monday, the Court said that there was nothing in the status report other than government saying more witnesses have been examined in the case.

"This is not going the way we expected," the court added.

"To ensure there is no mix up of evidence in the case, we are trying to appoint a former judge of a different high court to monitor the probe in the case," the court said.

The apex court also expressed its unhappiness over mixing of witnesses in different FIRs in the case.

A bench comprising, Chief Justice NV Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, was hearing the matter.

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) asked the lawyer Harish Salve that what would he say on the negligence in the investigation in the case of the deceased Shyam Sundar?

The court asked this question after the lawyer of the deceased Shyam Sundar in the incident demanded an independent agency to investigate his case. Also, the bench told the Shaym Sundar wife's lawyer that handing over the case to the CBI is not a solution.

The CJI, in his order after hearing the matter, said that the UP government should file its reply on the suggestion of the Supreme Court to supervise the entire matter from the former High Court Justice till the next hearing.

The CJI also asked the UP government what was the progress made in the last 10 days? There is nothing new in your report apart from some witnesses and investigation and also said that lab reports had not come yet.

Salve said that the lab report will be available on November 15.

The apex court then said that the investigation of Ashish Mishra's mobile phone is going on, according to you. Meanwhile, Justice Kohli said that there will be more phones and how many phones are being investigated?

Apart from Ashish Mishra and the phones of the witnesses, nobody's phone has been tracked, the court said and asked whether other accused did not use mobile phone to which Salve replied that the other accused did not have a mobile phone.

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