Lucknow (PTI): The Allahabad High Court will on Wednesday hear an appeal filed by the Uttar Pradesh government as well as the revision plea moved by the complainant against the acquittal of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra alias Teni in the Prabhat Gupta murder case.

A division bench of Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Renu Agarwal had on November 9 completed the hearing and reserved the verdict.

The case pertains to the murder of 24-year-old Gupta in Lakhimpur Kheri in 2000.

Union minister Mishra was charge sheeted along with other accused but during the trial the sessions court did not find adequate evidence against him and acquitted him in 2004.

Aggrieved by the trial court order, the state government moved an appeal in 2004 challenging it.

Complainant Rajeev Gupta also challenged the trial court's order by filing a revision petition.

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New Delhi: The government on Wednesday further tightened wheat stock holding norms for wholesalers, small and big chain retailers, and processors to curb hoarding and check price rise.

"As part of continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat, the central government has decided to revise the wheat stock limit applicable until 31st March 2025," the food ministry said in a statement.

According to the revised norms, wholesalers are now allowed to maintain wheat stock up to 1,000 tonne instead of 2,000 tonne, retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne, while big chain retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne earlier.

Processors will be allowed to maintain 50 per cent instead of 60 per cent of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months till April 2025.

The stock limits on wheat were first imposed on June 24 and later revised to tighten the norms on September 9 in order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation.

The ministry said all wheat stocking entities are required to register on the wheat stock limit portal (https://evegoils.Nic.In/wsp/login) and update the stock position every Friday.

If the stocks held by entities are higher than the prescribed limit, they should bring the quantity to the prescribed stock limits within 15 days of the issue of the notification.

Any entity which is found to have not registered on the portal or violates the stock limits will be subject to suitable punitive action under the Essential Commodities Act,1955.

The food ministry is maintaining close watch over the stock position of wheat to control prices and ensure easy availability in the country.