The Supreme Court has expressed disappointment at the slow progress of the trial in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The court directed the trial court to ensure the presence of witnesses by lawful means and comply with the witness protection scheme. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi emphasized the need for progress, noting the lack of witness examination in the past two months despite warrants being issued.
The state government informed the apex court that in the primary trial related to the deaths of protesting farmers, 44 prosecution witnesses have been examined, with 72 witnesses yet to be examined. In a connected trial concerning subsequent mob violence, 26 out of 35 witnesses have testified, leaving nine pending. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, representing the prime accused Ashish Mishra, highlighted the lack of witness examination despite court orders for coercive measures.
The bench questioned the prosecution on the delay, urging them to expedite the process by summoning more witnesses for examination. The court expressed dissatisfaction with the status report, directing the presiding judge to ensure witness attendance and compliance with protection mechanisms. Additionally, the court instructed the trial court to aim for a timely conclusion of both criminal trials and address allegations of witness intimidation in a separate criminal proceeding.
