The Supreme Court today granted bail to Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra, who has been accused of killing protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, in 2021.

Supreme Court on Ashish’s Bail

The Supreme Court stated that any attempt by Ashish Mishra or his family to influence witnesses would result in the cancellation of his bail.

Moreover, Ashish Mishra is not allowed to live in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, or the nearby region ahead of his bail. He has been given one week to leave Uttar Pradesh, the SC said.

Overview

On October 3, 2021, hundreds of farmers in the Tikona area of Lakhimpur Kheri district were returning after staging protests as part of the 2020-2021 Indian farmers’ protest against the three farm laws. The protestors were blocking state deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to Banbirpur village.

The protestors walking on the road were hit and run over from behind by a speeding Mahindra Thar, an SUV car. Two other vehicles in the convoy quickly followed the first car and crushed the injured who were lying on the ground. According to witnesses, gunshots were also fired.

The protesters torched the Thar and Fortuner cars and killed three of their occupants, while the driver of the third car in the convoy, a Scorpio, fled the site with his car.

A total of eight people died in the violence. Two farmers died on the spot while two more died later in the hospital. Ten farmers were injured. Raman Kashyap, a 28-year-old journalist working with the private TV news channel was among those killed. According to his father and brother, Kashyap was hit by the car and grievously injured. Three persons in the minister’s convoy (the driver of Ajay Mishra and two BJP workers) were lynched by the farmers subsequently.

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Two cars involved: Witnesses

Two of these cars involved were owned by the union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra. According to the eyewitnesses the minister’s son, Ashish Mishra, was in one of the cars in the convoy

Ashish Mishra’s SUV allegedly ran over four farmers and a journalist at Lakhimpur Kheri during a protest march against three controversial farm laws. Due to the farmers’ movement going on at that time, many farmers were protesting by blocking the road. The SUV driver and two BJP workers were allegedly killed in violence triggered by the incident. He was arrested days later.

Ashish Mishra had challenged the Allahabad High Court’s order rejecting his bail.

The families of the farmers have alleged pressure and bullying of witnesses by Ajay Mishra, a powerful BJP leader and the country’s junior Home Minister.

Last week, the Supreme Court said an accused could not be incarcerated for an indefinite period unless proven guilty.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, opposing bail, had said it would “send a terrible message” to society. Mukul Rohatgi, representing Ashish Mishra, argued that his client has been in custody for more than a year and, given how the trial was proceeding, it could take seven to eight more years.