The Allahabad High Court will deliver its verdict on Ashish Mishra alias Monu’s plea for bail in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case on Tuesday. Ashish is the son of Union Minister of State for Home minister, Ajay Mishra.
After completing the hearing on July 15, a Justice Krishna Pahal bench reserved its decision.
On February 10, 2022, the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench granted Ashish bail.
But, later the Supreme Court cancelled the bail and directed the HC to decide his bail plea after affording adequate opportunity to the victim side.
Accordingly, the HC heard his bail petition again. On May 9, the High Court, however, denied the co-accused Lavkush, Ankit Das, Sumit Jaiswal, and Shishupal’s bail requests.
While rejecting their pleas, the High Court observed that the four suspects were actively involved in planning and participation of the heinous offence committed in a “cruel and inhuman manner” and as such did not deserve bail.
The bench had further stated, “These four accused and the main accused, Ashish Mishra alias Monu belonged to very influential political families as said and apprehension of the prosecution that they would interfere with the course of justice, tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses, cannot be ruled out at this stage.”
In connection with the murder of four farmers and a journalist on October 3 in Tikunia in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, Ashish Mishra is a co-accused.
A fast-moving car ran over the farmers and the journalist. Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and a vehicle’s driver were also killed in the ensuing violence by an incensed crowd.
