Court says no to NBWs in Vaishali lynching case

A local court in Hajipur has refused to entertain the CID’s plea for issuing non-bailable warrants against the people accused of lynching 10 suspected...

A local court in Hajipur has refused to entertain the CID’s plea for issuing non-bailable warrants against the people accused of lynching 10 suspected thieves in Bihar’s Vaishali district, for want of sufficient evidence.

Chief Judicial Magistrate (Hajipur) Anil Kumar Singh turned down the CID’s request seeking issue of the NBWs against 10 villagers of Rajapakar on the ground that evidence required for showing their prima facie direct and indirect involvement were “insufficient”.

The Magistrate, on Wednesday, asked the CID probing the incident to come up with more evidence of their direct or indirect involvement in the lynching case. The investigating agency had on Monday prayed for the issuance of NBWs against them as it wanted them for an identification parade before one of the survivors, Ranjit Kureri, who is admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital.

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Under flak from the Opposition and the NHRC, the state Government has decided to initiate departmental proceedings against the police officers of Vaishali, including the then SP, Anupama Nilekar, for their alleged negligence.

Meanwhile, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Mahua) has fixed September 28 as the date for the appearance in his court of 21 villagers of Rajapakar who had been booked under Section 107 (Breach of Peace) as a preventive measure.