Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had been probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, on Monday, 13 December, moved an application in the court to invoke more criminal charges against the accused, including that of attempt to murder — a plea which has since been accepted by a CJM court.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri in October, after being run over by a convoy of cars. Ashish Misra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Teni Misra, who owned one of the cars involved in the incident, was arrested under murder charges.
The investigating officer in the case had on Monday requested the addition of Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) among others.
Reacting to the SIT’s plea Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said:
"Modi ji, it's time to apologise again... But first remove the accused's father from the post of the minister. The truth is out!"Rahul Gandhi wrote in a tweet
Meanwhile, ANI quoted Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Akhilesh Yadav as saying:
“It has been proved after the investigation that the minister and his son had conspired. Now the govt and BJP members should pressurise the state home minister to resign.”Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Akhilesh Yadav
And Shiv Sena MP wrote on Twitter:
“Shamelessly the MoS Home and his son continue being defended by the GoI. They want to silence voices of Opposition. This is one example, suspension of MPs another, amongst many.”
Others too wanted to know if the Modi-government will now sack MoS Teni.
On Wednesday, SP MP Jaya Bachchan also demanded for MoS resignation on 'moral grounds'.
"MoS Home must resign on moral grounds, the govt's acceptance or unacceptance (of the resignation) is a different issue. SIT's 'conspiracy' probe is a huge statement. Don't know how many farmers' deaths were pre-planned, but at least one case came out," she said.
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