India, Aug. 7 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Uttar Pradesh police for delaying action on a complaint on the pretext that the witness was unwilling to visit the police station to file a complaint in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

The court said that probing allegations of a witness being influenced in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case trial is "imperative".

"This may not be a satisfactory explanation on behalf of the police/prosecution," said a bench headed by justice Surya Kant, observing that when a complainant is unwilling to come forward, a senior police official should have visited the witness and verified the contents of his written complaint.

The complaint assumes significance as Ashish Mishra, son of former ...