Lakhimpur Kheri violence: SC allows Ashish Mishra to visit family on weekends

New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday relaxed the bail condition imposed on Ashish Mishra, son of former union minister Ajay Mishra, in the 2021 Lakhimpur violence case and allowed him to visit his family on weekends.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh modified the bail condition asking him to stay out of Lakhimpur till the pendency of the trial in the case after senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Ashish Mishra, submitted that he had not met his daughters for the past four years.

The top court had previously allowed Mishra to stay in Lucknow.

The bench while modifying the order said he could reach Lakhimpur Kheri on the night of May 10 (Saturday) and stay there till May 11 (Sunday) and return to Lucknow the same evening.

The bench, however, barred him from holding any political meeting or activity in Lakhimpur Kheri.

The top court left it to the public prosecutor to prune the list of witnesses for facilitating expeditious trial in the matter.

Senior advocate Garima Prasad, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, said that an eyewitness in the case, who was allegedly threatened for testifying against Mishra, did not approach police despite the liberty of the apex court.

On March 24, the top court allowed Mishra to visit his family in Lakhimpur Kheri on Ram Navami festival.

The top court then took on record the status report filed by UP Police in which it denied the claim of victims that Mishra attended a political rally in Lakhimpur Kheri in violation of the bail conditions.

The police said in its status report that his picture of attending the rally was an old picture which was presented as latest one.

On January 20, the top court sought a report from UP Police after allegations, accusing Mishra of influencing witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, surfaced.

Mishra had denied the allegations and said every time the matter was listed, such averments were made for the cancellation of his bail granted by the top court.

The apex court granted him bail on July 22 last year and restricted his movements in Delhi and Lucknow.

On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district during a protest by farmers against Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area.

Four farmers were mowed down by a sports utility vehicle.

A driver and two BJP workers were then allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.

The trial court in December, 2023 framed charges against Mishra and 12 others for murder, criminal conspiracy and under other penal laws in the case of the farmers' deaths, paving the way for the trial of the case. PTI MNL MNL AMK AMK