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Minister’s son sent to 3-day police custody over UP clash
Lucknow/Lakhimpur Kheri:A local court on Monday sent Ashish Mishra, son of junior home minister Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, to police custody for three days in connection with the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district last week
A local court on Monday sent Ashish Mishra, son of junior home minister Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, to police custody for three days in connection with the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district last week.
Eight people were killed in the incident on October 3, which included four farmers, two workers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a driver and a local journalist.
Police wanted Ashish Mishra’s custody for 14 days, but chief judicial magistrate Chinta Ram allowed only three, senior prosecution officer SP Yadav said.
“As per the Supreme Court guidelines, the court instructed not to adopt any coercion or torture of the accused. Also, a lawyer of Mishra’s choice may remain present during his interrogation at a distance without causing any interference,” Yadav said.
The hearing on the remand application began around 2pm. Mishra was produced remotely via video-conferencing, as he is lodged in Lakhimpur Kheri district jail.
Defence counsels Awdhesh Dubey, Awdhesh Singh, Shailendra Gaur and others opposed the application for custody. They argued police had already questioned Ashish Mishra for 12 hours, and no further questioning was required.
Ashish Mishra was arrested on October 9, five days after he was booked in a murder case lodged in Tikunia police station following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that ran over four farmers when they were returning from a demonstration on October 3. A local court remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days.
Minister Mishra and his son have denied the allegation. They say that local protesters pelted the vehicles with stones, causing the driver to lose control. They also allege that farmers killed two BJP workers and the driver.
The Supreme Court had taken cognisance of the incident and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to take action against “whoever is involved.” The court was exceptionally harsh while commenting on the police’s lenient handling of Ashish Mishra, although it didn’t name him.
Farm groups say a Mahindra Thar owned by Ajay Mishra mowed down protesters from behind while they were returning from a demonstration in Tikunia village. A video clip that is yet to be authenticated forensically shows the same.
Police issued the first notice to Ashish Mishra on October 7, asking him to appear before them on October 8. He didn’t show up. After a second notice, he came in for questioning on October 9. Police said that he could not explain several points about his whereabouts during the incident and was arrested.
Police had applied for custody immediately after his arrest, but the magistrate had postponed the hearing till Monday.
