Lakhimpur Kheri: Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain to supervise SIT probe

New Delhi, Nov 17: The Supreme Court has appointed retired Punjab and Haryana judge Rakesh Kumar Jain to supervise the SIT probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri incidents.

Last week the court had given the UP government time to carry out its suggestion to appoint either former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Ranjit Singh or Rakesh Kumar Jain to supervise the SIT probe.

Four farmers were killed after being mowed down, following which 3 accused were lynched and a journalist was murdered.

The court had expressed disappointment over the status report filed by the Uttar Pradesh government on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, and suggested that a former high court judge monitor the ongoing probe.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli said the investigation is "not going the way we wanted". The bench suggested the names of former judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justices Rakesh Kumar Jain or Ranjit Singh, for overseeing the probe till charge-sheets are filed. It also took note of the delay in procuring the forensic reports regarding the video evidence.

Earlier, the bench had directed the UP government to provide protection to witnesses under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 and to record the statements of other witnesses before the judicial magistrate under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and expedite the examination of digital evidence by experts.

(With PTI inputs)