Lakhimpur Kheri Case: Trial Court Frames Murder Charges Against Prime Accused Ashish Mishra

A Court in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district today framed charges against Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, and 13 others in connection with the farmer killings in Lakhimpur Kheri.

After rejecting Mishra's discharge plea yesterday, the Additional District Judge I (ADJ-I), Sunil Kumar Verma today framed charges against 14 accused in total and now the trial in the case will begin on December 16.

For the uninitiated, the crime 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.

It may be noted that 13 accused, including Mishra, shall face charges under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 149 (offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 427 (mischief causing damage), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Another accused, Virendra Shukla has been charged under section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the IPC.

Ashish Mishra was arrested on October 9, 2021, and the charge sheet in the case was filed in January 2022 and was booked under charges including murder (302 IPC), criminal conspiracy (120B IPC), and others.