UP’s efforts to bury riot cases to come under higher legal scrutiny
The Uttar Pradesh government’s effort to get the Muzaffarnagar riot cases against two BJP ministers, a party legislator and a Hindutva leader withdrawn is expected to come under higher legal scrutiny following multiple directives issued by an exasperated Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The apex court said no state or Union Territory could withdraw criminal cases against politicians without the prior consent of the high court concerned. Judges dealing with criminal cases against political leaders cannot be transferred out of their posts, the court added.
A bench of Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justices Vineet Saran and Surya Kant asked the high courts to examine the withdrawal of cases against politicians since September 16, 2020. It also asked the registrars-general of all high courts to submit a chart of judges, cases pending and disposed-of cases pending against politicians in the special courts….
