Dadri: In the latest twist in the Dadri case, the families of accused have filed an appeal to the court seeking action against Mohammad Akhlaq's family for allegedly slaughtering a calf hich is illegal in the state.
The petition -- filed on Tuesday in the Greater Noida court - also named eye witnesses who claim they saw Mr Akhlaq killing a calf, according to a report by leading News Channel.
The petition claims that on September 26 last year, two villagers from Bisada, Ranvir and Jatan, saw Mr Akhlaq and his son Danish beat up a calf. Mr Akhlaq allegedly told them that since the calf was attacking people, he was going to tie up the animal at his brother Jaan Mohammed's house.
The petition goes on to say that shortly after, another villager, Prem Singh, while passing by Mr Akhlaq's house, saw Mr Akhlaq slitting the animal's throat.
Two days later, Mr Akhlaq was allegedly seen trying to dispose of animal remains at a nearby rubbish dump. He was cornered by villagers and allegedly confessed to killing the calf.
"Bisada residents today gave an application to the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar under Section 156(3) of CrPC with a request to direct the police to lodge an FIR against Akhlaq's family members," a Senior Prosecution Officer said.
The demand comes after a lab report on May 31 established that the meat found in the Dadri lynching victim’s house was that of a cow or its progeny. Since the report became public, the villagers, supported by some local leaders, had been pushing for a mahapanchayat and Dadri had been put on high alert. An earlier report had concluded that the meat was from an animal of the goat progeny.
The court will hear the matter on June 13, the Prosecution Officer said.
"Akhlaq's family members will be given the opportunity to submit their reply and then the court will decide whether there is need for directing police to lodge FIR," he said.
At the last week's mahapanchayat, the villagers had given an ultimatum to police to file an FIR against Akhlaq's family members within 20 days, after a report of a forensic lab in Mathura concluded that the meat found in the victim's house was of "cow or its progeny".
Last week, ignoring police orders, a group of BJP and Shiv Sena politicians led a village meeting or mahapanchayat demanding action against the family of Mohammed Akhlaq. Many fear this would give rise to a new round of communal tension in Dadri, just 50 km from Delhi.
Last September, Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched by a mob in Bisada village near Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, following rumours that his family was storing and consuming beef.
