UP files status report in Hapur lynching case in SC

New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday filed a fresh status report in Supreme Court regarding investigation in the Hapur lynching case, where one person died last year.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi directed the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, to hand over the copy of the status report to the counsel, Vrinda Grover, of the petitioner. The court asked the petitioner to file response within a week

"She (petitioner's counsel) may file her response to the same within a week. List the matter on May 9," said the court.

In June 2018, a person was killed and another was brutally assaulted in the garb of cow vigilantism. On April 8, the court directed the state government to file a status report into the investigations.

Last year in September, the court directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Meerut to monitor the investigation into the case.

Samiuddin filed a petition seeking setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for fair investigation into the mob lynching on the pretext of cow smuggling in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh.

The plea said that Samiuddin and Qasim, who died in the incident, were mercilessly assaulted by a mob of a community from the neighbouring village.

Taking action on the erring police personnel, the government told the court that it has transferred the SHO concerned and challenged bail granted to the accused in the case.

The plea sought directions for SIT to comply with periodic reporting to the court, and also sought direction to the government to compensate the victim for his medical treatment.

Samiuddin is the survivor in the incident, but he was critically injured. The petitioners have asked the court to cancel the bail granted to the main accused Yudhishthir Singh Sisodia.