M A I N   N E W S

Apex court raps UP for riots
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, March 26
The Supreme Court today reprimanded the Uttar Pradesh government for not preventing the communal violence that had rocked Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts on September 7, 2013, leaving 48 people dead and over 50,000 homeless.

A three-member Bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam, however, rejected the PIL petitioners’ plea for an “independent” probe either by the CBI or a special investigation team (SIT).

The state government itself had constituted a special investigation cell (SIC) and as such no purpose would be served by handing over the probe to another agency that too more than six months after the riots, explained the Bench that included Justices Ranjana Desai and Ranjan Gogoi.

“We prima facie hold the state government responsible for being negligent at the initial stage in not anticipating the communal violence and taking necessary steps for its prevention,” the Bench ruled. “Had the central and state intelligence agencies smelt these problems in advance and alerted the district administration, the unfortunate incidents could have been prevented,” it said.

The apex court issued a series of directives to the state government for bringing all the culprits to book by holding speedy trial and payment of adequate compensation to victims.

Bar candidates involved in riots: JD(U)
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 26
The Janata Dal(U) today urged the Election Commission to bar three BJP and BSP leaders accused in the Muzzaffarnagar riots cases from contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner of India VS Sampat, JD (U) spokesperson KC Tayagi said their presence in the electoral fray could affect peace in the affected areas. He also pointed out that their contesting election militated against the Model Code of Conduct.