New Delhi, Nov 27 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed Ashish Mishra, son of former Union Minister Ajay Mishra, to file an affidavit responding to allegations that witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case are being threatened.
A Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan issued the direction after the allegations were raised, accompanied by photographs allegedly showing attempts to intimidate witnesses.
“There are allegations of threatening the witnesses. Now there are some photographs,” the Court observed.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Mishra, denied the allegations, arguing that the photographs had been submitted with ulterior motives.
“It is not me. I have the photos. This is not meant for this Court. It is meant for outside… Every time it is listed, something like this comes up,” Dave contended.
The Bench directed Mishra’s counsel to address the allegations in the affidavit and scheduled the matter for a hearing after four weeks.
Ashish Mishra is accused of killing four farmers during a protest against the now-repealed farm laws in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, in October 2021. The violence led to the deaths of eight people, including a journalist.
Following a detailed investigation, the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed a comprehensive 5,000-page chargesheet against Mishra and others. The Supreme Court has been monitoring the trial closely.
Mishra was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in January 2023, with regular bail following in July 2024. As part of his bail conditions, Mishra is required to stay in either Delhi or Lucknow and is only permitted to visit Lakhimpur Kheri for trial-related purposes.
According to the Court’s order dated July 22, 2024,“The petitioner shall abide by the terms and conditions imposed vide order passed on January 25, 2023, and shall be entitled to go to the place where the trial is pending a day prior to the date fixed in the trial case.”
On November 12, the Allahabad High Court granted regular bail to 12 co-accused in the case, noting that a significant number of witnesses remain to be examined, with no likelihood of the trial concluding soon.
The Supreme Court’s directive to Mishra reflects its continued vigilance over the case, ensuring that the integrity of the judicial process remains intact and allegations of witness intimidation are thoroughly addressed.
UNI SNG CS1705