Those who speak truth jailed: Mehbooba Mufti on Ashish Mishra’s bail

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti questioned release of Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister Ajay Mishra, and said those speaking the truth are languishing in jails. Allahabad HC granted bail to Ashish

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday questioned the release of the Union minister’s son and said those speaking the truth are languishing in jails.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti tweeted that Umar Khalid, Fahad Shah, Waheed Para and Siddique Kapan are languishing in jail on trumped-up charges. But a minister’s son walks away scot-free after allegedly running over farmers. She questioned the bail given to Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister Ajay Mishra. (HT File Photo)

The Allahabad high court on Thursday had granted bail to Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, and cast doubts on the police investigation into the violence that roiled Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 and killed eight people.

Four farmers and a journalist died when an SUV owned by Ajay Mishra ran over farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. In the ensuing violence, three more people — two of whom were Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and one was the driver of the car — were killed. The incident ignited nationwide protests with Opposition parties pushing for the resignation of Ajay Mishra, the minister of state for home. She alleged that criminals roam free while people who stand for truth are jailed.

“Umar Khalid, Fahad Shah, Waheed Para and Siddique Kapan are languishing in jail on trumped-up charges. But a minister’s son walks away scot-free after allegedly running over farmers. In Godse’s India, criminals roam freely and those who speak the truth are jailed,” tweeted Mehbooba.