HC asks Delhi govt to appoint prosecutor in Mirchpur case

"The Delhi government is directed to ensure compliance of our earlier order and issue an appropriate notification at the earliest for appointing a public prosecutor in the case," a bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and S P Garg said.

The direction came during the hearing a batch of appeals of some convicts who have challenged the verdict of the lower court, which last September convicted 15 of 97 undertrials, accused of burning alive a 70-year-old man and his physically challenged daughter at Mirchpur in Haryana's Hissar district.

The court was to commence hearing today on the petitions, also including a plea of the victim's family for enhancement of punishment for the convicts.

It expressed displeasure after it was told by the lawyers that they were not ready as the entire records, running into nearly 7,000 pages, have not been supplied to them.

"It had already been made clear to you that the records can be supplied in the form of a CD only," the bench said.

On being told by a prosecutor that the Delhi government, so far, has not issued a notification for appointing a state lawyer in the case, Justice Bhat directed that a decision on the issue be taken "at the earliest".

The court, however, did not issue a direction to appear to the Home Secretary, Haryana as sought by the prosecutor on the ground that the cooperation was needed as Delhi Government is pursuing the case relating to the offence which took place at Haryana. (More) PTI SJK

ZMN