Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: Allahabad HC Grants Interim Bail To 8 Accused In View Of SC's Order Granting 8 Weeks Bail To Ashish Mishra

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to 8 accused in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri Violence case till March 20 on the ground of parity with the co-accused Ashish Mishra (who was granted 8 weeks interim bail by the Supreme Court last month).

The bench of Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan passed this order on the application moved by 8 accused namely, Nandan Singh Bisht, Ankit Das, Latif alias Kale, Satyam Tripathi alias Satya Prakash Tripathi, Shekhar Bharti, Ashish Pandey, Rinkoo Rana, and Sumit Jaisawal.

The order of the Court subjects them to the same conditions as imposed upon Mishra by the Supreme Court in its 25 January order. Das has been directed to not enter the territory of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh during the period of interim bail.

The order was passed after the counsels for the applicants submitted that the Apex Court has granted interim bail to the accused of both sides inasmuch as cross FIRs were lodged in the issue in question, therefore, they requested that the benefit of the order of the Apex Court may be given to the present applicants and they may be enlarged on interim bail on the same terms and conditions.

The AGA as well as counsel for the victim opposed the prayer for interim bail but could not dispute the fact that the Apex Court has granted interim bail to accused persons on both sides.

Therefore, without entering into the merits of the issue, considering the order dated 25.01.2023 passed by the Apex Court in Ashish Mishra alias Monu (supra), till the next date of listing, the Court directed the 8 accused to be released on interim bail in the case on the same terms and conditions, which have been indicated in para-17 of the SC's order.

Before listing the case for further hearing on March 20, the Court observed that the interim bail order may be extended or vacated on the next date subject to the orders being passed by the Apex Court.

For the uninitiated, the incident took place on October 3, 2021, when several farmers were holding protests against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to Lakhimpur Kheri district, and four protesting farmers were killed after they were allegedly mowed down by an SUV which was part of the convoy of Ashish Mishra.

Case title - Nandan Singh Bisht vs. State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Lko along with connected matters

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