Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: Supreme Court Directs Ashish Mishra's To Answer Allegations Of Threatening Witnesses

Supreme Court passed sought a formal affidavit from Ashish Mishra over the plea alleging that he has been threatening witnesses in the case.

On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district in UP.

Source : ANI

Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought Ashish Mishra's reply to allegations of threatening witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case in which 5 persons were killed in October 2021, when vehicles of his convoy allegedly ran over a group of farmers who were protesting against the farm laws.

Mishra is son of former Union Minister Ajay Mishra. Ashish Mishra was granted bail by the Supreme Court on several conditions. The court had permitted Mishra to stay either in Delhi or Lucknow. He was further asked to abide by other terms and conditions imposed on him by the court while granting him interim bail.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan passed an order seeking a formal affidavit from Mishra over the plea alleging that he has been threatening witnesses in the case.

Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, representing Mishra in court refuted the allegations and said that photographs attached to support the allegations were not of Mishra.

On January 25, 2023, the top court had granted Ashish Mishra interim bail in the case and directed the trial court to expedite hearing. the bail was then extended from time to time. He was granted bail by Supreme Court in July this year.

On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district in UP.

The violence erupted when farmers were protesting against Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area. Four farmers were mowed down by the car, after which a driver and two BJP workers were then allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.

In December, 2023, the trial court framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for the alleged offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and under other penal laws in the case of the farmers' deaths.