Lakhimpur violence: Ex-Punjab and Haryana HC judge appointed to monitor probe

The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed justice (retired) Rakesh Kumar Jain, former judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, to monitor the ongoing probe in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

Three IPS officers have also been inducted in the special investigation team (SIT). The Supreme Court will hear the case after the chargesheet is filed and a report is received from justice Jain.

The appointment comes two days after the Uttar Pradesh government agreed to appoint a former high court judge to monitor the probe into the incident in Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight people including four farmers died in October.

Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, has been named as the prime accused in the violence. Ashish, along with 12 others have so far been arrested by the police.

On Monday, the Lakhimpur Kheri district and sessions court rejected the bail pleas of Ashish Mishra and two others.