Greater Noida, Dec. 24 -- A fast-track court on Tuesday rejected the Uttar Pradesh government's attempt to withdraw the 2015 Mohammad Ikhlaq lynching case, calling it a "serious crime against society" with no reasoning for withdrawal under Section 321 CrPC. "The application of the prosecution under Section 321 CrPC is hereby rejected. Accordingly, the objections are also rejected," the order said. The court, headed by additional district judge Saurabh Dwivedi, also directed that the case be heard on a day-to-day basis. "The prosecution is directed to expeditiously present the evidence of witnesses before the court, so that the case file may be disposed of at the earliest. This Court shall list the present case file on a day-to-day basis in the hearing register," it added. The UP government, on September 12, moved an application to withdraw the case saying this was "for the restoration of social harmony". Ikhlaq, 55, was lynched by a mob in Bisada village on September 28, 2015, after rumours that his family had stored beef at home. The attack triggered nationwide outrage over rising intolerance, with writers, filmmakers and scientists returning state awards in protest. One laboratory analysis after the lynching claimed the meat found in the refrigerator at Ikhlaq's home was mutton. A subsequent laboratory report, first cited by lawyers representing the 18 accused in the case, claimed it was beef. To be sure, neither the provenance of the meat, nor where it was found are material to the case. The matter was initially listed for December 12, where counsel Yusuf Saifi, representing Ikhlaq, sought to file an objection against the government's withdrawal application. The matter was then listed for December 18, during which senior Supreme Court counsel Andleeb Naqvi, on behalf of Saifi, took over the case and filed an application in which he said the state has "no concrete basis to file the withdrawal application" and was doing so for political reasons . Senior Counsel Hariraj Singh, representing the accused, objected to Naqvi's application and sought time. The case was then listed for December 23. On Tuesday, government counsel Bhag Singh Bhati said he was merely following government orders in seeking a withdrawal. "The application was moved for social harmony. I received a withdrawal application from the District Prosecution (DP), which was moved at different levels. I was following the government order to file it before the court," he stated. Singh argued in court that Naqvi has no locus standi as the case is between the court and the state government (which represents the victim). ADGC Bhati told HT, "After a lengthy hearing that lasted for more than an hour, the judge, in open court, said it is a serious crime against society and that there was no reason provided to withdraw the case under Section 321 of the CrPC."...