Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Supreme Court extends Ashish Mishra's interim bail
New Delhi, February 12
The Supreme Court on Monday extended the interim bail granted to Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case that had claimed eight lives.
A Bench led by Justice Surya Kant directed the top court’s Registry to obtain a report from the trial court on the progress of the case and adjourned the matter.
Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri when those against farm laws were holding a demonstration against Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit on October 3, 2021. In the subsequent violence, two BJP workers, a driver and a journalist were killed. It was alleged that Ashish was driving one of the cars.
On January 25 last year, the top court had granted interim bail to Ashish Mishra in the case and directed him to leave Uttar Pradesh within a week of his release from jail.
Relaxing his bail condition, the Supreme Court had on September 26, 203 allowed accused Ashish Misra to visit Delhi to take care of his ailing mother and to avail treatment for his daughter.
Noting that the investigation was complete and a charge sheet had already been filed in the trial court, the Supreme Court had on September 18 relieved the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was set up to oversee the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
A Lakhimpur Kheri court had on December 6, 2022, framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for murder, criminal conspiracy and certain other offences in the case. Virendra Shukla, the 14th accused has been charged under Section 201 of IPC for causing disappearance of evidence.
