Lakhimpur Violence: 'Vehemently Opposed' Bail Plea Of Minister's Son, UP Govt Tells SC

Lakhimpur Kheri Violence Case: The submission of the Uttar Pradesh government came in a reply to a petition seeking to cancel the bail of Ashish Misra. 

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed on October 3, 2021, after violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri (PTI)

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it had "vehemently opposed" the bail application of Union Minister Ajay Misra's son Ashish Misra, accused of running over farmers during a protest last year in Lakhimpur Kheri village.

Denying allegations of not protecting a witness and going easy on the accused, the UP government, in an affidavit, said it had taken all efforts to protect the witnesses and families of victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, ANI reported.

The government told the top court that all witnesses were regularly contacted by the police for taking stock of their security conditions.

The submission of the Uttar Pradesh government came in a reply to a petition seeking to cancel the bail of Ashish Misra. 

In February this year, the Allahabad High Court had granted bail to Ashish Misra, the main accused in the case. He was arrested on October 9, 2021.

"That at the very outset, the answering respondent (Uttar Pradesh) takes exception to the averments in the SLP to the effect that state did not effectively oppose the bail application of the accused respondent No 1 (Ashish Misra). The same is completely untrue, as is also borne out from a perusal of the impugned order itself," read the affidavit.

"The same clearly demonstrates that Ashish Misra's bail application was vehemently opposed by the state in the Allahabad High Court and any averments to the contrary in the special leave petition (SLP) are completely false and merits to be rejected," it further said.

The petitioners also told the Supreme Court that a witness in the case was attacked on March 12.

Denying the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government said an investigation revealed that the altercation between a witness and the opposite party took place over the throwing of colours on Holi.

"The witnesses were interviewed telephonically, most recently on March 20, 2022, and they expressed satisfaction with the security provided to them and were informed that if they required any help in relation to their security, they should immediately contact the Superintendent of Police of their respective districts and would receive prompt assistance," the UP government affidavit said.

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed on October 3, 2021, after violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri during a farmers' protest ahead of a visit byUP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. 

It has been alleged that a car ferrying Ashish Misra ran over the protesting farmers, killing four of them. In the violence that ensued, another four people died -- two BJP workers, the driver of one of the vehicles, and a journalist.

(With inputs from ANI)