‘Why Hasn’t There Been Arrest Despite Evidence?’; TMC Questions UP Government Over Lakhimpur Incident

Mumbai: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev on Thursday questioned the Uttar Pradesh government why the state has not made any arrests despite having ample evidence on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, where eight people including four farmers died in violence on October 3. Also Read: Who Are The Accused And Have They Been Arrested?, SC Asks UP Govt In Lakhimpur Case

While talking to ANI, Sushmita Dev said, “What is the reason that the Uttar Pradesh police and the state government have failed to make an arrest? To my mind, one reason is that the accused is the son of that Minister of State (MOS), Home. I welcome the view of the Supreme Court that called for a report and asked for who is the accused.” Also Read: Lakhimpur Kheri Incident: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Reiterates Demand For Resignation Of MoS Teni

“Journalists get arrested straight away if anything is written against PM Modi, but here there is the murder of farmers and the BJP government has done nothing. I hope the SC monitors this,” Dev added. Also Read: UP Govt Appoints Retired Allahabad HC Judge To Probe Lakhimpur Violence

The Supreme Court today asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report on who are the accused, against whom FIR is registered and those who are arrested. Also Read: Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: Mallikarjun Kharge Slams Centre And Up Govt For Their Anti-Farmer Stance

The matter has been listed for hearing tomorrow.

In response to the apex court, the Uttar Pradesh government said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted and a single member enquiry commission has also been set up to file a status report on the incident.

“An enquiry committee cannot say arrest or do not arrest; that’s under the jurisdiction of the police. There is enough evidence and when the accused is a son of such a powerful man, he will run away. They are giving him time for that,” she claimed.

“I think there should be an immediate arrest and the MoS should step down,” she demanded.

A single-member Commission of Enquiry, headed by retired High Court Judge Pradeep Kumar Srivastava, with headquarters at Lakhimpur Kheri, was constituted today to investigate the death of 8 persons in Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Several videos related to the incident have surfaced. Another fresh video of 44 seconds shows a group of farmers holding black flags, and staging a protest when two cars rammed over them. Opposition parties questioned the probe and demanded immediate arrest of Ashish Misra, the son of Ajay Mishra and the resignation of the Union Minister of State (MOS) for Home Affairs.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of several farmer unions, issued a statement on Sunday regarding the incident claiming the death of four farmers and alleged that one of the four farmers was shot dead by Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni’s son–Ashish Mishra, while the others have been allegedly run over by the vehicles of his Ashish Mishra refuted SKM’s allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place.

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