Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: SC Rejects Ashish Mishra Plea For In-Camera Trial

The Supreme Court rejected Ashish Mishra’s plea for an in-camera hearing in his trial on Monday. Mishra is the main accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

The plea was denied by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and JK Maheshwari, who also ordered Mishra to appear in trail.

Last month, the Supreme Court granted Mishra interim bail for eight weeks. The court also ruled that he could not remain in Uttar Pradesh or Delhi after his release.

Mishra, the son of Union Home Minister of State Ajay Mishra, is accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during protests against the now-revoked farm laws. Protesters had disrupted the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was scheduled to attend an event in the area.

Mishra’s vehicle allegedly mowed down protesting farmers, among others.

Following his arrest, the Uttar Pradesh Police’s special investigation team (SIT) filed a 5,000-page charge-sheet in a local court, naming Mishra as the prime accused. In November of that year, a trial court denied his bail application, prompting Mishra to move to the High Court.

On February 10, 2022, the High Court granted bail to Mishra, stating that there is a possibility that the driver of the vehicle that mowed down the protesting farmers sped up the vehicle to save himself.

After the High Court granted bail to Mishra in the case, family members of the deceased filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, requesting that the bail be revoked. Surprisingly, the state of Uttar Pradesh did not file an appeal against the bail order.

In April 2022, the Supreme Court revoked Mishra’s bail and remanded the case to the High Court for fresh consideration.

On July 26, last year, the High Court denied Mishra bail, prompting the current appeal before the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, in December 2022, a trial court in Uttar Pradesh filed murder charges against Mishra.

The charges were filed under IPC Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 149 (offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 427 (mischief causing damage), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) and Section 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act.