In a fresh twist to Dadari lynching case, the Gautam Budh Nagar district court on Thursday ordered the district police to register an FIR against Akhlaq’s family for alleged cow slaughter and asked them to investigate the matter.
District Chief Judicial Magistrate Vijay Kumar issued the order after a group of Bisada residents moved an application in the Surajpur court under Section 156(3) of CrPC following the report of Mathura forensic lab report that ‘the flesh sample was of cow or its progeny.’
Noida SSP Dharmender Singh said that they have not received copy of the court order yet. FIR will be registered and police will investigate the matter.
Surajpal Singh (65), had filed a complaint based on the Mathura forensic report, which confirmed the flesh sample was of cow or its progeny. Singh is, however, not among the family members or relatives of 18 accused charged in Akhlaq lynching case.
Rajeev Tyagi, lawyer of Surajpal Singh, said that seven people — Akhlaq, his wife Ikraman, mother Asghari, brother Jaan Mohammad, daughter Shaishta, son Danish — were named in the complaint. Akhlaq’s nephew Zafaruddin’s wife Sona, was also named in the complaint.
“The Court ordered that the all seven members of Akhlaq’s family should be booked under relevant Sections of the IPC. The court was informed by a petition that the local police did not entertain the complaint moved by the petitioners and hence they moved the court,”’ Tyagi said.
However, Yusuf Saifi, the lawyer representing the family of Akhlaq, said, “We will cooperate with the court in the investigation. Also the three new accused, that includes Sanjay Rana have admitted in the application about their roles, two days before Akhlaq was murdered. The police should do a non-biased investigation in the case.”
local BJP leader Sanjay Rana, who is related to one of the main accused in the Akhlaq murder and under arrest for last 10 months, said, “This is a victory of justice, the seven members of the family should be in jail for cow slaughter under Section 156(3) of CrPC. Fifteen people, who have been arrested, are suffering for what they have done. The State Government should also allow a transparent investigation or it should resign.”
However, Jaan Mohammad, brother of Akhlaq, said the investigation should be fair. “Whatever decision the court has taken is to be respected. We respect the judiciary. We do not have any problem with investigation but the investigation should be fair,” he said. Asked if the registration of a case was a setback to him, he said, “Yes, it is.”
Akhlaq’s family has been claiming that the meat found in his house was that of goat, and not beef.
Akhlaq was lynched by a mob in Bisada village of Dadri on late September 28 night last year over a rumour that he and his family had eaten beef.
In last three months, the residents of Bisada had held two panchyats in the village demanding to file an FIR against Akhlaq family.