New Delhi: Terming the killing of eight people, including four farmers, in the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri incident as 'unfortunate', the Supreme Court on Thursday sought a status report by Friday from the Uttar Pradesh government on the accused named by the police in FIR and whether they have been arrested.
The Apex Court has also sought details of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the judicial inquiry commission, reportedly set up by the state government.
Two people are being quizzed in connection with the violence and Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish has been summoned for questioning, Inspector General of Police Laxmi Singh said on Thursday.
"If Ashish Mishra does not abide by the summons, the legal procedure will be adopted," she told reporters here.
IG Singh, however, said that there was no time limit in the summons sent to Ashish Mishra.
The Union minister's son has been named in an FIR lodged in connection with the October 3 incident under IPC Section 302 (murder).
The incident, which triggered a major political storm with the Opposition parties accusing the BJP government in UP of shielding the culprits, was heard by a Bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana as a suo motu (on its own) case.
"You yourself have pointed out, it has also been reported and it is in the letter petition, which we have received, that eight persons, some of them are farmers and one is journalist and there are other persons also who have been killed. These all are unfortunate incidents in which different persons have been murdered," the Bench said.
"We need to know who are the accused persons against whom you have registered the FIR and whether they have been arrested or not. Please explain this in your status report," it said and fixed the case for hearing on Friday.
The Bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, started by saying: "Grievance is that you are not looking into it (incident) properly and the FIR is not registered properly."
Lawyer Garima Prasad, appearing for the state government, also termed the incident as unfortunate and said an SIT and the judicial commission of inquiry have been set up by the government and she may provide the details in the status report.
"I can get details by tomorrow... The judicial commission of inquiry is being led by a former judge of the Allahabad High Court judge," she said and sought a copy of the letter whose cognizance has been taken by the Bench.
"You also tell us about the status of the PIL before the Allahabad High Court in the case...tomorrow we are listing. Get all the instructions," the Bench observed orally.
During the brief hearing, the CJI referred to a message to the court.
"We have received one message when the hearing is going on from one Amrit Pal Singh Khalsa that the mother of the deceased Lovepreet Singh is in critical condition due to shock of loss of her son. She needs immediate medical assistance. This says that the court may direct the state of UP to grant medical facilities to her...
"You (state lawyer) please, immediately tell your state government so that it can take care of the mother of the deceased...extend all medical facilities. You can get her admitted in a nearest government medical college," the Bench observed.
Earlier in the day, the top court said it would like to hear the two lawyers who had written a letter seeking a high-level judicial inquiry, also involving the CBI, into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight people were killed in violence during a farmers' protest.
The Bench added that the letter was to be registered as a PIL and due to some miscommunication it was listed as the suo motu (on its own) case.
"Does not matter, we will hear it nonetheless," said the Bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.