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Lakhimpur Kheri case: Existing bail application to be heard, no fresh plea to be filed, says Ashish Mishra’s lawyer
The Supreme Court, earlier in the day, cancelled the bail granted to Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni’, in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case and asked him to surrender in a week
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court will take up the existing bail application of Ashish Mishra and no fresh bail plea will be filed, said Salil Kumar Srivastava, the lawyer representing Mishra in court.
Srivastava said this after the Supreme Court, earlier in the day, cancelled the bail granted to Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni’, in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case and asked him to surrender in a week.
“The Supreme Court has not given any order for filing of a fresh bail application. A witness (in the case) has pleaded in the Supreme Court that he could not record his statement during hearing of the bail application as the link was snapped,” said Srivastava.
Owing to Covid-19 pandemic, virtual hearing on the bail application had taken place in the high court in February this year.
“Now, the court will hear this witness again,” he added.
“The Supreme Court has ordered Ashish Mishra to surrender within a week and has also directed the high court to complete the hearing of the bail (application) within three months,” said Srivastava.
A single judge bench of Justice Rajeev Singh had granted bail to Ashish Mishra in the Lakhimpur Kheri case, on February 10 this year.
Eight people, including four farmers and a local journalist, were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3, 2021.
KIN OF DECEASED WELCOME SUPREME COURT DECISION
As the news of the Supreme Court cancelling Ashish Mishra’s bail reached Lakhimpur Kheri district on Monday, the kin of the deceased farmers welcomed the top court’s move.
Silence prevailed in Banbirpur, the native village of Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni’. Ashish Mishra is the minister’s son.
On the other hand, Jagdeep Singh, son of deceased farmer Nakshatra Singh, a resident of Dhaurahra tehsil in Lakhimpur Kheri district, said, “The Supreme Court decision has reinforced my faith in the judiciary.”
“I am hopeful that the judiciary will ensure that all the accused in the Tikunia violence are brought to justice, whether he is the Union minister’s son or any other person,” said Singh.
Pawan Kashyap, younger brother of deceased journalist Raman Kashyap, also applauded the top court’s decision.
“I thank the Supreme Court and all those who have stood by us in our fight for justice,” said Pawan Kashyap.
“I thank lawyers who have stood by us in our fight for justice,” Kashyap added.
In Banbirpur, no villager was willing to talk about the issue.
Mishra’s rice mill in the village wore a deserted look on Monday. No staff was present at the mill compound.
No one was available at the minister’s residence in Lakhimpur city also.
Ashish Mishra, who was reported to be present in Banbirpur till Sunday, was not available for comment on Monday.
