Scribe burning: SC seeks response from Centre, UP

An application filed by a Lucknow scribe has claimed that the son of slain journalist, <g data-gr-id="25">Jagendra</g> Singh, was pressurised and threatened by the alleged killers of his father, following which he had written a letter to his lawyer on July 23 wishing to withdraw the petition.

He said this was substantiated by his interaction with him on social media. An FIR was registered against Samajwadi Party government's Minister Ram Murti Singh Verma and five cops on the basis of a complaint by <g data-gr-id="35">Jagendra's</g> son <g data-gr-id="36">Raghvendra</g> after the journalist died during treatment at a Lucknow hospital.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, issued notices to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh Government on the application filed by Mudit Mathur and sought replies from all parties within three weeks. The court will hear the matter along with the main petition on which the notices were issued on June 22.

The fresh plea has sought a probe into the case by a CBI team consisting of officers from outside Uttar Pradesh. The applicant has also sought <g data-gr-id="28">laying</g> down guidelines for protection of journalists, impartial grievance redressal mechanism for scribes apprehending assaults and other acts of victimisation and comprehensive victim and witness protection programme.

In the main petition filed by Delhi-based journalist Satish Jain, the apex court had also sought <g data-gr-id="26">response</g> from the Union Home Ministry, the state government and the Press Council of India.

<g data-gr-id="30">Jagendra</g> was allegedly set on fire by police officials during a raid at his house in Awas Vikas Colony of Sadar Bazar area in Saharanpur on June one. He succumbed to injuries on June eight.

“On June 1, according to his family members, a group of policemen and goons came in two cars in <g data-gr-id="34">late</g> afternoon and barged into his house in Shahjahanpur. Initially, they had an argument with him reminding him he had been repeatedly told not to write anything about Verma, then they pinned him down, poured petrol on him and set him on fire,” the petition said.