The Supreme Court has denied a further relaxation of bail conditions for Ashish Mishra, the primary accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The application sought permission to visit his native place to attend family functions.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana dismissed Mishra’s plea, stating that there were no grounds to entertain the request at this stage.
Mishra’s counsel had argued that the existing bail restrictions prevented him from attending significant family events, including his daughters’ birthday celebrations. However, the Chief Justice firmly stated the application’s dismissal.
During the proceedings, advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the victim farmers, raised concerns regarding the pace and conduct of the trial. He alleged that several crucial witnesses, including eyewitnesses, were being dropped from the proceedings due to the speed at which the trial was being conducted.
Bhushan explained that witnesses were summoned for the very next day, and their failure to appear promptly led to them being ‘given up’. He indicated an intention to file a separate application to highlight these issues.
The Chief Justice suggested that such grievances should first be presented before the trial court. The bench questioned why the Supreme Court would be the appropriate forum to hear such matters initially, advising that the trial court should be approached directly to point out the importance of specific witnesses.
Further discussions involved allegations that certain documents were being translated and referenced a case where an individual was charged with attempting to influence a witness. Mishra’s counsel objected to the assertion that this individual was a supporter of Mishra.
Bhushan stated that a witness who allegedly faced intimidation had subsequently been removed from the witness list and had now filed an application seeking permission to participate in the trial. The Supreme Court bench indicated it would consider this application.
However, the court reiterated that the trial court remained the appropriate venue to determine the materiality of witnesses. The bench emphasized that the trial court is best positioned to assess whether witnesses are crucial to the case and to understand the issues they relate to.
When Bhushan highlighted that some of these witnesses were eyewitnesses, the Chief Justice noted that this fact made it even more imperative to approach the trial court.
The Lakhimpur Kheri violence occurred on October 3, 2021, in Tikunia, Uttar Pradesh. The incident resulted in the deaths of eight people, including four farmers, during a protest against the visit of the then Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Reports from the time indicated that four farmers were run over by a sports utility vehicle. In the ensuing unrest, a driver and two Bharatiya Janata Party workers were allegedly lynched by an agitated crowd. A journalist also lost their life during the violence.
In December 2023, the trial court framed charges against Ashish Mishra and twelve other individuals. These charges included murder, criminal conspiracy, and other related offenses, thereby paving the way for the commencement of the main trial in the case.
The Chenab Times News Desk