Who are the two retired HC Judges recommended by SC to monitor probe in Lakhimpur Kheri violence

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in violence during a farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. Ten people, including Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, have been arrested so far in connection with the case.

Who are the two former Judges?

Justice Ranjit Singh (Retd.)

Justice Ranjit Singh was born on April 5, 1951, and hails from Chananke village in Amritsar. He pursued graduation from Khalsa College, Amritsar and completed degree in law from Panjab University, Chandigarh. He joined the JAG Department of the Indian Army and rose to the rank of Major. Singh took voluntary retirement from the Indian Army and started practising at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was then elevated as Judge of the High Court.

Justice Ranjit Singh remained the HC Judge from March 22, 2006 till April 4, 2013. He was appointed as Chairman of Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal, Delhi, post his retirement, and inquired into incidents of sacrileges in the State of Punjab as chairman of the inquiry commission appointed by the state government.

Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain (Retd.)

Justice R K Jain was born on October 1, 1958, in a family of lawyers at Hisar. His father Gulab Singh Jain, was an eminent income tax advocate and a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Hisar from 1972-1977. After obtaining his degrees in B. Com and LLB, Jain was enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana in May 1982. He started his legal practice at the District court of Hisar. In January 1983, he shifted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he practiced for 25 years on civil, criminal and revenue side, and has remained a Member of the Executive Committee of the High Court Bar Association twice. He was elevated as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on December 5, 2007, and retired on September 30, 2020.