NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday set a one-week deadline for the Rajasthan government to submit a detailed report regarding the steps taken against the policemen who delayed in taking a lynching victim to hospital.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra took exception to the fact that only 11 of the 29 states and seven Union Territories (UTs) filed reports regarding compliance of its order directing them to take steps to deal with mob lynchings and cow vigilantism.
Giving a week’s time, the bench directed the Centre and the States to widely announce on radio, television and other media platforms that lynching and mob violence will invite serious legal consequence.
Attorney General K K Venugopal informed the top court that a Group of Ministers is considering the nature of legislation to be brought to deal with the crime of lynching by the vigilante groups.
In its July 17 judgment, the apex court had recommended to Parliament to create a separate offence for lynching and provide adequate punishment.
Directing all the states and the UTs to comply with its July 17 direction, the top court said the home secretaries failing to file report would be directed to appear before it in person.
The order came as senior counsel Indira Jaising informed the apex court that only nine States and two UTs have filed the compliance report.