Dadri lynching case: Court did not disclose forensic report of flesh

A fast-track court probing the murder of Mohammad Ikhlaq last year didn’t disclose on Thursday the forensic report of the flesh recovered from the Muslim man’s fridge after he was lynched by a mob on rumours that he consumed beef.

The court will hear the plea of the accused on April 13.

Ikhlaq and his younger son Danish were attacked at their home in Uttar Pradesh’s Bisada village on September 28 over allegations of slaughtering a cow and storing its meat for consumption.

Ikhlaq succumbed to his injuries while Danish survived with a fractured skull, triggering a nationwide debate on rising intolerance.

Eighteen people from the village, about 60 km from Delhi, were arrested on charges of murder and assault.

A bowl full of flesh was recovered from Ikhlaq’s fridge and sent for forensic examination. The move had drawn condemnation with many people saying the state government should have punished the perpetrators instead of testing the meat.

Counsels of the accused objected to the framing of charges, citing lack of information about the probe. The police submitted the forensic report in a sealed envelope before the court on Monday.

“We had sought the forensic report of the flesh recovered from Ikhlaq’s fridge, statement of Ikhlaq’s daughter Shaista, medical reports Ikhlaq and Danish. The court has agreed to provide us the documents. On April 1, the court ordered the police to submit the report. Now the matter will be heard on April 13,” said Ramsharan Nagar, counsel of the accused.

On Thursday, 13 out of total 18 accused were produced but the court was adjourned due to the demise of a lawyer’s son.

“The documents which were sought are important to re-create the sequence of incident and motive behind the incident. Hopefully on the next date the court will grant us the documents,” said Nagar.

Ikhlaq’s family counsel, Mohammad Yusuf Saifi, said that the report will not have any effect on the case.

“All the accused have been chargesheeted for murder and assault. The report has no significance in the case,” Saifi said.