New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the Uttar Pradesh government’s response on a plea challenging the grant of bail by the Allahabad High Court to Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Taking note of the submissions that one of the witnesses has been attacked, a special bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli asked the state to ensure protection of the witnesses of the case, PTI reported.
Three family members of the farmers killed in the violence have sought a stay on the High Court’s February 10 bail order.
They have said that the verdict was “unsustainable in the eyes of law as there has been no meaningful and effective assistance by the state to the court in the matter.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Prashant Bhushan had earlier said that one of the prime witnesses, who was under protection, was brutally attacked, a few days after the bail of Ashish.
Bhushan added that the attackers also allegedly threatened the witness that they will take care of him now that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged victorious in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Earlier on October 3 last year, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during the violence that erupted when the farmers were protesting against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to the area.
The four farmers were mowed down by an SUV following which the driver and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by the angry farmers.
A journalist also died in the violence.