High Court to deliver verdict on Ashish Mishra's bail plea

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday will deliver its verdict on the bail plea of Ashish Mishra alias Monu, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

A bench of Justice Krishna Pahal had reserved its order on July 15 after completing the hearing.

The Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court had granted bail to Ashish on February 10, 2022.

But, later the Supreme Court canceled the bail and directed the high court to decide his bail plea after affording adequate opportunity to the victim side.

Accordingly, the high court heard his bail plea afresh.

Meanwhile, on May 9, the court rejected the bail pleas of co-accused Lavkush, Ankit Das, Sumit Jaiswal and Shishupal.

While rejecting their pleas, the high court had observed that the four accused were actively involved in planning and participation of the heinous offence committed in a "cruel and inhuman manner" and as such did not deserve bail.

The bench had further observed, "These four accused and the main accused, Ashish Mishra alias Monu belonged to very influential political families as said and apprehension of the prosecution that they would interfere with the course of justice, tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses, cannot be ruled out at this stage."

Ashish Mishra is a co-accused in connection with the killing of four farmers and a journalist at Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh on October 3 last year. The farmers and the journalist were mowed down by a speeding vehicle. In the ensuing violence, two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and the driver of a vehicle were also killed by an agitated mob.

Two FIRs were lodged in connection with the violence.