The Gautam Budh Nagar trial court, which is hearing the murder case of Mohammad Akhlaq, on Wednesday refused to reveal the details of the forensic report of the meat recovered from his fridge. The court deferred the date of hearing to May 9.
“We request the court to provide us with a copy of the forensic report of the Mathura lab at the next hearing because the prosecution lawyer has not expressed any objection in a written form against our plea,” counsel for the accused Ram Sharan Nagar said.
The local government veterinary hospital had declared that the meat recovered from Akhlaq’s fridge was “goat progeny.” The meat sample was sent to the forensic lab in Mathura for further investigation. The lab report was prepared last year and is in possession of the court.
Mr. Nagar pleaded in the court that the forensic report was crucial to establish motive behind the crime.
“We have requested the court to provide us the forensic report of the meat, statement of Shaista, Akhlaq’s daughter, and other crucial documents of the case,” Mr. Nagar told the media outside the court.
Despite the argument of the defence lawyer, the police maintained that the forensic report was of “minimal importance” as the case was that of murder.
Superintendent of Police (rural), Gautam Budh Nagar, Abhishek Yadav, said: “We have arrested all the accused and filed the charge sheet in the court”.
Akhlaq and his son were brutally assaulted by their neighbours in Dadri village on September 28 last year over rumours of cow slaughter. While Akhlaq succumbed to his injuries, Danish survived with a fractured skull.
Eighteen men including son of a local BJP leader and his relatives were arrested on charges of lynching Akhlaq.
