10 years after Dadri man lynched over beef suspicion, UP govt moves to withdraw case
10 years after Dadri man lynched over beef suspicion, UP govt moves to withdraw case
M.U.H
16/11/202516
Nearly a decade after 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched by a mob over rumours of alleged cow slaughter and storing its meat at his home in Dadri’s Bisada village, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to withdraw the case against the accused.
“We filed the withdrawal application, issued by the government in connection with Akhlaq Ahmed’s case, before the competent court on October 15. The court has not yet passed any order on the application and has fixed December 12 for hearing the matter,” said Bhag Singh Bhati, Additional District Government Counsel (ADGC), Gautam Buddha Nagar.
“It is for the court to decide whether the case will be withdrawn or not. Until then, the trial will continue. So far, the testimony of the first prosecution witness — the complainant and the deceased’s daughter, Shaista — is underway. Her cross-examination is yet to be done,” Bhati added. He also confirmed that all 15 accused facing trial in the case are currently out on bail.
Confirming the move, District Government Counsel (DGC), Gautam Buddha Nagar, Brahm Jeet Singh, said that after receiving the government’s letter regarding the withdrawal of Akhlaq’s case, he forwarded it to the ADGC concerned for filing the appropriate application before the court.
Defence counsel, B R Sharma, also confirmed that withdrawal application has been moved by government counsel in the court.
Confirming the move, District Government Counsel (DGC), Gautam Buddha Nagar, Brahm Jeet Singh, said that after receiving the government’s letter regarding the withdrawal of Akhlaq’s case, he forwarded it to the ADGC concerned for filing the appropriate application before the court.
Defence counsel, B R Sharma, also confirmed that withdrawal application has been moved by government counsel in the court.
On September 28, 2015, a mob gathered outside Akhlaq’s house after an announcement from the village temple alleged that he had slaughtered a cow. Akhlaq and his son Danish, who tried to intervene, were dragged out of their home and assaulted until they fell unconscious. Akhlaq later died at a Noida hospital, while Danish survived after suffering severe head injuries and undergoing major surgery.
Police had registered an FIR at Jarcha police station under IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder),147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (assault), 504 (intentional insult to disturb peace), among others.
In 2015, the Gautam Buddha Nagar police filed a chargesheet against 15 people, naming Vishal Rana, son of a local BJP leader, and cousin Shivam as the main conspirators who led the mob to Akhlaq’s house and assaulted the family.
The meat recovered from Akhlaq’s house was also sent to a forensic laboratory in Mathura for examination, which had stated in its report that it belonged to a “cow or its progeny”. Akhlaq’s family, however, had alleged that the samples were switched.
In 2016, a Surajpur court had ordered a separate FIR to be filed against Akhlaq’s family for alleged cow slaughter.
