Court rejects Uttar Pradesh BJP’s bid to drop Akhlaq lynching case, orders day-to-day trial
Lucknow: A court in Surajpur refused the Uttar Pradesh government’s request to withdraw prosecution in the 2015 lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq and directed that the case be taken up for expedited trial with daily hearings.
Additional District Judge Saurabh Dwivedi categorised the matter as “most important” and ordered the prosecution to begin recording evidence without delay. To ensure complete protection of all evidence, the court also directed on Tuesday, that letters be sent to the Police Commissioner of Gautam Buddha Nagar and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Greater Noida. The next hearing has been scheduled for January 6.
Following rumours that he had slaughtered a cow and stored beef at his residence, Mohammad Akhlaq, 50, was lynched by a mob on September 28, 2015, in Bisada village of Dadri in Gautam Buddha Nagar district. Akhlaq and his son Danish were dragged out of their home and assaulted after an announcement was allegedly made from a temple loudspeaker. Akhlaq later died at a hospital in Noida, while Danish survived after sustaining critical head injuries. Akhlaq’s killing had sparked nationwide protests under the banner “Not In My Name."
All 18 accused villagers were released on bail by September 2017, after the BJP-led government under Chief Minister Adityanath assumed office. One of the accused is the son of a local BJP leader. While the accused returned to the village, Akhlaq’s family moved away citing fear and hostility.
The accused were charged under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code regarding murder, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace, and criminal intimidation.
On October 15, the Uttar Pradesh government moved an application seeking withdrawal of the case. The petition cited alleged inconsistencies in statements by Akhlaq’s family, the absence of recovered firearms or sharp weapons, and the lack of prior enmity between the accused and the victim.
The court’s order comes amid a legal challenge by Akhlaq’s wife before the Allahabad High Court. She has contested the state government’s decision to withdraw the prosecution and the related application filed by the public prosecutor. Her appeal also challenged a series of administrative orders issued between August and September 2025 that resulted in the withdrawal plea, according to Maktoob Media.
The petition argues that under Section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, any withdrawal from prosecution requires the court’s consent and must be assessed independently to ensure it does not result in a miscarriage of justice.
Reacting to the court’s decision, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said the order reaffirmed the primacy of judicial scrutiny and described it as a significant step towards justice.
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'Trump travelled on at least eight Epstein flights’: New Epstein files released by US Justice Dept
Washington: The US Justice Department has released another batch of documents related to deceased financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with President Donald Trump’s name appearing in references to flight records linked to Epstein’s private jet. The disclosure forms part of a larger release mandated under a new law requiring federal agencies to make public records connected to the Epstein investigations, The Indian Express reported.
According to the documents, Trump’s name features in emails and flight logs connected to Epstein’s private aircraft. However, federal authorities have clarified that the Republican president has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. CNN reported that the references relate to travel records and do not amount to allegations of illegal conduct.
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The Justice Department released nearly 29,000 pages of documents on Sunday night, including photographs and video footage reportedly recorded inside a prison. The release follows earlier disclosures made in compliance with the law passed by Congress last month, which compelled the government to unseal the Epstein files. Epstein was found dead in a New York jail in 2019, with authorities ruling his death a suicide.
An email cited in the documents, written by an assistant US attorney from the Southern District of New York on January 8, 2020, states that Trump “traveled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported.” The names of the sender and recipient have been redacted by the department.
Flight records referenced in the files indicate that on one occasion, the only passengers listed were Trump, Epstein and a 20-year-old woman whose name has been withheld. On two other flights, two women identified as possible witnesses in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell were reportedly on board. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.
In response to the release, the US Justice Department urged caution in interpreting the documents. In a post on X, the department said some of the materials contained “untrue and sensationalist claims” against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI ahead of the 2020 election, adding that the claims were unfounded and lacked credibility.
