(File photo)
NEW DELHI: A court in Gautam Buddha Nagar on Tuesday dismissed the Uttar Pradesh government’s plea seeking withdrawal of charges against all accused in the long-pending Akhlaq lynching case. The court also directed for trial on day-to-day basis.Additional district and session judge’s court rejected the prosecution’s plea as “baseless”, advocate Yusuf Saifi, counsel for Akhlaq’s family, told news agency PTI.Akhlaq’s lawyer lauded the court’s decision, saying the judge “set an example” and “justice was served to the Akhlaq’s family.”Speaking to news agency ANI, the lawyer said, “The mob lynching case, which was ongoing in court with evidence… The government filed an application through the public prosecutor to withdraw the case from the court… Disregarding all their arguments, the judge set an example, and justice was served to the Akhlaq family… The excellent order that should have been issued in a case like mob lynching has finally been issued.” The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 6.The matter was earlier listed for December 18 before being rescheduled for hearing on December 23.The Uttar Pradesh government had approached the court seeking permission to withdraw the case against all the accused, citing the need to maintain social harmony. The application was filed by the assistant district government advocate (criminal) following directions from the state government and the joint director of prosecution.The 2015 Dadri lynching refers to the case in which a mob attacked the home of 52-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq in Bisahda village, near Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, killing him over suspicions of cow slaughter. The attack occurred at night on September 28, 2015.
