SC asks states, union territories to comply with its order on cow vigilantism, lynchings

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the eight states and Union Territories, which have not filed compliance reports related to its July 17 order on dealing with vigilantism and mob lynchings, to do so within a week.

The court said, after two weeks, it would start hearing petitions filed related to a spate of mob lynchings.

The court also asked the union government to let it know whether there has been compliance with one of its directions regarding awareness campaigns on television, radio and in the print media against mob lynchings and cow vigilantism.

The Union government has set up a Group of Ministers to consider framing a law against mob violence.

The court asked Sanjay Hegde, the lawyer for one of the petitioners, Tehseen Poonawalla, to prepare a state-wise list of mob violence victims, whose families have not received any compensation and to notify the concerned state counsel.

One of the directions in the July verdict included compensation.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, who, on behalf of Tushar Gandhi has sought contempt action against Rajasthan in the wake of a lynching in Alwar days after the July verdict, said those who take the law into their hands should fear the wrath of the law.

Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Rajasthan government, placed before the court action taken against the policemen who prioritised taking cows to a shelter home over rushing the Alwar lynching victim to a hospital.

Mehta said the policemen have not been given any active duty.

He added that a chargesheet, too, would be filed against them.

On Jaising’s suggestion, the bench directed all states to upload on their respective websites the steps they have adopted to deter individuals from “unnecessarily taking the law into their hands”.

First Published: Sep 24, 2018 16:17 IST