An Uttar Pradesh court has rejected the government’s request to withdraw charges against those accused in the 2015 lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq, ordering a day-to-day trial instead.
An Uttar Pradesh court on Tuesday dismissed UP government’s plea seeking withdrawal of charges against all the accused in the 2015 lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri and directed that the trial be conducted on a day-to-day basis.
The Uttar Pradesh government had moved the court seeking permission to withdraw the case against all the accused, citing maintenance of social harmony.
The application was filed by the assistant district government advocate (criminal) following directions from the state government and the joint director of prosecution.
Who Was Mohammad Akhlaq?
Mohammad Akhlaq was killed in September 2015 after a mob attacked him at his residence in Bisahda village under Jarcha police station limits in Greater Noida over rumours that beef was stored there, triggering nationwide outrage and debate over mob violence and communal tensions.
What Noida Court Said As It Dismissed UP Govt’s Plea
According to PTI, Mohammad Akhlaq’s lawyer Yusuf Saifi said that the Additional District and Sessions Judge’s court in Surajpur dismissed the application filed by the prosecution as “baseless”.
“The court has rejected the state government’s application to withdraw all charges against the accused in the Akhlaq lynching case and ordered fast-tracking of the trial with daily hearings,” Saifi said.
Earlier, the matter had been listed for December 18 and was subsequently scheduled for hearing on December 23.
Brinda Karat Welcomes Rejection of UP Govt’s Plea
Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat welcomed the UP court’s decision rejecting the Uttar Pradesh government affidavit to withdraw murder case against the accused in the 2015 mob lynching of Mohammed Akhlaq.
Karat called it a “big step” for justice and a slap on the face of the UP government.
“We welcome the judgment of the Greater Noida District Court. It has rejected the UP govt affidavit to withdraw the case of mob lynching and murder, and attempt to murder against the accused,” PTI reported Karat as saying.