The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed Ashish Mishra, the prime accused in mowing down of four farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh in October 202, to respond to the allegation that witnesses were being threatened.
Pointing to the low conviction rate in the money laundering cases, a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan noted that the trial is yet to commence and, with 183 witnesses to be examined, will take a long time.
Speaking at a function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association to celebrate ‘Constitution Day’, the Chief Justice lauded the role played by the Bar in making the judiciary a robust institution.
The Rajasthan government has also tendered an apology in the court for reported contempt of the court in the case of land acquisition.
"What happens is, if you win the elections, EVMs are not tampered with," the apex court pointed out.
The convict, a Tamil Nadu man, Sundar alias Sundararajan, had kidnapped and murdered a seven-year-old boy in 2009 following the inability of the victims’ parents to meet the demand of the ransom of Rs 5 lakh.
The court said that in that case the matter will be heard on April 11 to examine if it requires to be referred to the constitution bench.
Whether execution by hanging was cruel and offending to human dignity and if alternate methods of carrying out death sentence by lethal injunctions, or through electrocution could be options.
“We order and direct that FIRs registered in Varanasi and Assam shall stand transferred to Hazratganj police station. The interim protection stands extended till April 10, 2023," the apex court ordered.
The plea added that the incident caused the petitioner to go into shock and distress during the 12-hour long flight and the crew was both unhelpful and uncooperative.
