Lakhimpur Kheri: Suo motu case hearing before Supreme Court [Live Updates]

The Supreme Court will continue hearing the suo motu case arising from the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight persons, including farmers, were mowed down allegedly by a four-wheeler of Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni.The matter is being heard by a Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.Previously, the top court had decided to hear the matter after the Dussehra vacation and directed the State to preserve the evidence in the case till then.During the hearing, the Court expressed an unfavourable opinion of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stating that the CBI was not a solution.Live updates from the hearing below..Counsel seeks a passover since Senior Advocate Harish Salve is not connected. Request made to hear it at item 30.CJI NV Ramana: Yes, let us finish other matters too..Sr. Adv. Harish Salve: I have filed a status report. It is there in sealed cover. CJI: No, that was not required and we have just received it now. Justice Surya Kant: We never said anything about sealed covers..CJI: We waited till 1 AM last night for any filing. But we received nothing..Sr. Adv. Harish Salve: Please have it on Thursday or Friday.CJI: No no Mr. Salve, no Thursdays or Fridays..The judges are going through the contents of the status report filed..Justice Kant makes a point as CJI Ramana and Justice Hima Kohli hear..CJI: Why have no other witnesses being recorded under Section 164 CrPC?Sr. Adv. Salve: A concern was stated the state was going soft on accused, now everybody is arrested and they are in jail. As on today there are 10 accused inside jail. There are 2 crimes which was driving into farmers and the other one in which the person had driven into was lynched..CJI: That is the counter FIR? Sr. Adv. Salve: Yes.CJI: How many arrested in first FIR? Sr. Adv. Salve: 10 are in jail..CJI: This says 44 witnesses are there and statements of four have been recorded. How many are in judicial custody and how many are in police custody apart from the 10? Unless they are interrogated by police you may not get information. Sr. Adv. Salve: 4 are in police custody..AAG Garima Prashad: The 4 are in police custody Justice Kant: What about the other 6? You did not seek custody so they were sent to judicial custody. What is the situation in this case?AAG: We had sought three days remand and it was over.CJI: So, that's it?.Salve: All videos and phones have been recovered. They may not be needed for interrogation here. Justice Kant: Your SIT can recognise who are the most vulnerable witnesses and can be browbeaten.. then why only four witness statements have been recorded?.Sr. Adv. Salve: I have been told that statements were being recorded and then courts closed.Justice Hima Kohli: criminal courts closed for Dussehra vacations?AAG: Crime scene was being reconstructed... Justice Kohli: We think you are dragging your feet, please dispel that impression..Sr. Adv. Salve: Please have it next week. CJI: Witness protection? Sr. Adv. Salve: We will provide..Adv Shiv Kumar Tripathi: We have not been given a copy of the status report.CJI: This is a sensitive matter.. let us see. It is nothing secret. but let us see next Wednesday. Also, (to state of Uttar Pradesh) whatever you have to file, file it before..A lawyer seeks permission to have the hearing only by physical mode (next Wednesday is October 27).

Lakhimpur Kheri: Suo motu case hearing before Supreme Court [Live Updates]

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