HC asks reply in firing on Saifai students' case

Allahabad, Apr 23 (UNI) The Allahabad High Court today directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file its reply and also the case diary in a writ petition, seeking a CBI probe into the police firing at Saifai College students during agitation.

Passing this order, a Division Bench consisting of Justices Vinod Prasad and A K Singh directed to hear this case on May 1, 2008.

On January 8, 2008, police had resorted to lathi-charge on the students of Chaudhary Charan Singh Post Graduate College, Saifai (Etawah), when they were protesting the ban on students' union election.

Later on January 9, the police forcibly entered the College compound and opened fire on the students, resulting in the death of a student, Mukesh. Two others sustained serious injuries in the clash.

When the FIR of the death of the student was not lodged by the police, an application under Section 156 (3) of CrPC was moved before the Magistrate. The Magistrate, on this application, ordered for registration of an FIR against the guilty policeman. However, on March 2, 2008, the name of the policeman was expunged and report was sent to the District Magistrate, who had accepted the report.

It was contended in the court that the incident was politically motivated, as the school was founded by former state Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav Government advocate D R Chaudhary opposed the writ petition. The Court passed this order on a writ petition filed by Ram Gopal.

UNI VCP JAS SBC HT2125