UP to withdraw cases filed against Covid-19 lockdown violaters

Law minister Brijesh Pathak cited demands by traders and said the decision to withdraw the cases has been taken because of that

The Uttar Pradesh government plans to withdraw cases registered in connection with Covid-19 violations last summer. In a statement on Thursday, the government said the law and justice department of the state has issued a direction to the principal secretary to collect all the information regarding such cases as part of the process to withdraw them.

People undergo thermal screening outside Allahabad high court during the fifth phase of Covid-19 lockdown in June 2020. (File photo)

Law minister Brijesh Pathak cited demands by traders and said the decision to withdraw the cases has been taken because of that. “The state government has started the process to withdraw such cases.”

“With this decision, UP [Uttar Pradesh] has become the first state in the country to withdraw the FIRs [first information reports] registered in connection with breaking of Covid protocols during the lockdown. It will also serve as a warning to abide by the directions of the government and take special precautions in such situations in the future,” the statement said.