Court defers hearing on plea against Ikhlaq’s family to July 14

GREATER NOIDA: Hearing on a petition of the accused in the Dadri lynching case to file an FIR against the family of victim Mohammad Ikhlaq has been deferred to July

GREATER NOIDA: Hearing on a petition of the accused in the Dadri lynching case to file an FIR against the family of victim Mohammad Ikhlaq has been deferred to July 14.

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The public prosecutor argued that the matter of lynching and assault was sub judice.

The counsels of the accused sought an FIR against Ikhlaq’s kin, referring to the forensic report of the flesh that was allegedly recovered from the fridge of the deceased.

The public prosecutor, Chaman Prakash, said: “This plea should not be entertained as a murder has taken place and the matter is still sub judice,” he said.

The counsels of the accused persons, however, maintained that the forensic report confirmed cow slaughter, hence a case under the UP Cow Protection Act, 1955, should be registered against Ikhlaq’s kin.

“The forensic test report confirms that a crime was committed. We demand legal action against all those who violated the law. In her statement, Ikhlaq’s daughter Shaista had said the pieces of meat were gifted by her relatives, so it makes them offenders as well,” said Thakur Shishpal Sisodiya, counsel of the accused persons.

On the night of September 28, a mob of locals allegedly attacked Ikhlaq and Danish at their residence over allegations of slaughtering a cow and storing its meat for consumption. Ikhlaq had succumbed to his injuries while Danish survived with a fractured skull.

“We hope the court will order the registration of a case against all the accused in the next hearing,” said Ram Sharan Nagar, the counsel of accused persons.

During the argument in the court, the counsel of Ikhlaq’s kin and the public prosecutor said the forensic report was not enough to file a case.