Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: Allahabad High Court Grants Interim Bail To Accused Ankit Das For 15 Days On Medical Ground

The Allahabad High Court has granted short-term bail to Lakhimpur Kheri Violence Accused Ankit Das on medical grounds. The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh ordered for his release on interim bail for 15 days on his filing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Court/Magistrate concerned.

Das is among the 13 men who have been accused of killing four farmers and a journalist in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. Das, who is the nephew of the former Union minister Akhilesh Das, and the SUV which was behind the Thar that knocked down the four farmers is said to be owned by him.

He has been booked under Sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 120-B, 307, 326/34 and 427/34 IPC read with Section 30 Arms Act and Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act and his bail plea had been filed and rejected by the High Court in May 2022.

However, he filed the instant bail plea seeking short-term bail on medical grounds. His counsel submitted that Das is facing multiple health issues; his health has got deteriorated during his incarceration in jail since October 2021.

The Jail report submitted that Das' Diabetes & HTN is under control and the necessary medicines and all facilities are being provided to him by the jail hospital. It was also stated in the report that if the need arises, he would be taken to Higher Center, however, at present patient's health status is normal.

Without disputing the jail report, his counsel Salil Kumar Srivastava submitted that Das needs to get his regular check-up for liver fibrosis. Since the date of his incarceration i.e. 13.10.2021, no check-up has been conducted in respect of his liver fibrosis.

It was further submitted that liver fibrosis may lead to cancer. With this, it was prayed that if the Court thinks it proper, the accused applicant may be granted short-term bail to get his checkup done properly.

Considering the aforesaid fact that the accused applicant is allegedly suffering from liver fibrosis and, he needs to get his regular check done, the Court said that it would be appropriate to grant him interim bail on medical grounds.

Therefore, the Court directed for his release on interim bail for 15 days. He has been directed to surrender before the trial Court concerned immediately on the expiry of the 15th day from the date of his release from prison.

With this, the Court listed the matter for further hearing on September 20, 2022.

In related news, denying bail to Ashish Mishra, the prime accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri Violence case, the Allahabad High Court in July 2022 pointed toward the recent trend in media to conduct ill-informed and agenda-driven debates. The Court also said that the media has been overstepping upon the sanctity of the judiciary in high-profile criminal cases.

Speaking about media trials, the Court said that such trials take up the investigation on its own, which leads to forming of public opinion against a suspect, even before the court takes cognizance of the case.

Case title - Ankit Das S/O Gopal Das (Short Term Bail) v. State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Lucknow [CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 9049 of 2022]

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