New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a probe into the death of 121 people in the Hathras stampede, and asked the petitioner to approach the Allahabad High Court.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra said such incidents were "disturbing" but high courts were equipped to deal with such cases.
The bench said, “No doubt, these are disturbing incidents. This (filing of PIL) is usually done to make such incidents bigger. The High Court is equipped to deal with this matter. Is rejected.
It asked lawyer and petitioner Vishal Tiwari to approach the Allahabad High Court and dispose of the PIL.
Tiwari said that the issue of non-availability of proper medical facilities to deal with such incidents is a matter of all-India concern and the PIL can also be dealt with by the Supreme Court.
The CJI rejected the argument.
The petition had sought the appointment of a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired apex court judge to investigate the stampede incident that took place on July 2.
The stampede took place on July 2 at a religious gathering in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh.
Over 2.5 lakh devotees had gathered at Phulrai village in Hathras district for the 'satsang' organized by Baba Narayan Hari, also known as Sakar Vishwahari and Bhole Baba.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has filed an FIR against the organisers, accusing them of hiding evidence and violating the conditions in which 2.5 lakh people had gathered for the event, in which only 80,000 people were allowed.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra said such incidents were "disturbing" but high courts were equipped to deal with such cases.
The bench said, “No doubt, these are disturbing incidents. This (filing of PIL) is usually done to make such incidents bigger. The High Court is equipped to deal with this matter. Is rejected.
It asked lawyer and petitioner Vishal Tiwari to approach the Allahabad High Court and dispose of the PIL.
Tiwari said that the issue of non-availability of proper medical facilities to deal with such incidents is a matter of all-India concern and the PIL can also be dealt with by the Supreme Court.
The CJI rejected the argument.
The petition had sought the appointment of a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired apex court judge to investigate the stampede incident that took place on July 2.
The stampede took place on July 2 at a religious gathering in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh.
Over 2.5 lakh devotees had gathered at Phulrai village in Hathras district for the 'satsang' organized by Baba Narayan Hari, also known as Sakar Vishwahari and Bhole Baba.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has filed an FIR against the organisers, accusing them of hiding evidence and violating the conditions in which 2.5 lakh people had gathered for the event, in which only 80,000 people were allowed.
