Statements Of A 'Large Number' Of Eye Witnesses In Lakhimpur Kheri Incident Yet To Be Recorded: UP Govt Tells Allahabad HC

The Uttar Pradesh Government on Friday told the Allahabad High Court that the statements of a large of eyewitnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident are yet to be recorded and therefore, it sought a further two weeks' time to file its reply on the bail plea filed by Ashish Mishra, the main accused in the case.

Accepting the request, the Bench of Justice Karunesh Singh Pawar posted the matter for hearing on January 6, 2021.

It may be noted that on November 29, after hearing the arguments, the Court had given the UP government 10 days' time to file its reply on the bail application and to file the statements of all the witnesses.

On that day, Mishra's Counsels had argued that the role attributed to Mishra has not come out in the investigation.

It may be noted that a court in Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh) last month rejected the bail petitions of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misra 'Teni's son, Ashish Misra, Ashish Pandey, and Luvkush Rana in the case registered against them in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri Violence incident.

Sessions Judge Mukesh Mishra turned down their bail pleas after the prosecution presented the case diary, 60 eyewitnesses' statements, and ballistic reports of 4 firearms to establish their involvement in the crime.

Therefore, he had moved to the High Court seeking bail.

As per the report of Indian Express, the district government counsel Arvind Tripathi said that while rejecting the bail pleas of the three accused, the court said that the case is of serious nature and that the investigation is currently on.

On October 9, Mishra had appeared before the Crime Branch office in Lakhimpur Kheri pursuant to a notice issued to him by the UP Police. Thereafter, he was arrested and sent to the Lakhimpur jail at around 1 am on Sunday (October 10) after 12 hours of questioning.

Background of the Case

On October 3, several farmers were holding protests against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to Lakhimpur Kheri district, when four protesting farmers were killed after they were mowed down by an SUV.

Allegedly, the SUV was part of the convoy of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP MP Ajay Kumar Mishra.

The police filed a first information report against Ashish Mishra (son of minister Ajay Kumar Mishra) and several others in connection with the violence under Section 302 IPC.

An alleged video of the incident has also surfaced in social media showing a group of protesters moving forward on a road next to farm fields and then being mowed down by a grey SUV that speeds up from behind.

Case title - Ashish Mishra @ Monu v. State of U.P.

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