The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Ashish Mishra, son of former Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni and an accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, to visit his hometown on October 20 to celebrate Diwali with his family.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi granted the permission with strict conditions, reiterating that no political workers or members of the public should be part of the celebrations “in any capacity.”
Permission Granted With Undertaking
Appearing for Mishra, senior advocate Siddharth Dave sought permission for his client to visit Lakhimpur during the Diwali festival. Dave assured the court that Mishra would return by October 22.
The court noted that Mishra had earlier been barred from entering Lakhimpur Kheri while the trial was ongoing. The bench reminded that similar restrictions had applied when Mishra was allowed to visit his family during Ram Navami earlier this year.
Trial Progress & Status Report
During the hearing, the apex court reviewed the progress of the trial in the Lakhimpur case, observing that 23 witnesses have been examined so far, while nine have been dropped.
The court also directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to submit a detailed status report on the ongoing investigation.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for some of the victims, requested the bench to expedite the trial. However, the judges declined to do so, observing that such a move could amount to judicial monitoring of the proceedings, which the court sought to avoid.
Case Background
The Lakhimpur Kheri violence took place on October 3, 2021, when eight people, including 4 farmers, were killed in Tikunia village during a farmers’ protest against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
According to the police, a sports utility vehicle from the convoy allegedly ran over the protesting farmers, leading to their deaths. In retaliation, an angry mob allegedly lynched three people — a driver and two BJP workers — while a journalist also lost his life in the chaos.
In December 2023, the trial court framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for murder, criminal conspiracy, and other offences under the Indian Penal Code, paving the way for a full trial.
Allegations Of Witness Tampering
Earlier this year, on January 20, the court had sought a report from the state police following allegations that Mishra was attempting to influence witnesses. Mishra denied the accusations, claiming such allegations were routinely raised to seek cancellation of his bail, which was granted by the top court on July 22, 2023.
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