Close X
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
ADVT 
India

Lakhimpur Kheri case: UP govt opposes Union minister's son's bail in SC

Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 Jan, 2023 11:32 AM
  • Lakhimpur Kheri case: UP govt opposes Union minister's son's bail in SC

Lucknow, Jan 19 (IANS) In a surprise move, the Uttar Pradesh government, on Thursday, opposed the bail plea of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra's son, who is one of the accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, in the Supreme Court.

Additional Advocate General for Uttar Pradesh Garima Prasad told a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice J.K. Maheshwari that the crime is "grave".

"It is a grave and heinous crime and (granting bail) will send a wrong signal to society," she said when asked for reasons to oppose the bail plea.

"We are taking prima facie view that he is involved and he is an accused and not innocent. Is it the state's case that he has attempted to destroy evidence?" the bench asked.

The court said about the grave and heinous crime there are two versions and it cannot comment on any of the versions.

The additional advocate general replied, "That has not happened till now."

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for those opposing the bail plea, said grant of bail will send a terrible message to society.

"It is a conspiracy and a well-planned murder. I will show it from the charge sheet. He is the son of a powerful man being represented by a powerful lawyer," he said.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the accused Ashish Mishra, strongly opposed Dave's submission and said, "What is this? Who is powerful? We are appearing every day. Can this be a condition to not grant bail?"

Rohatgi submitted that his client has been in custody for more than a year and the way the trial is going, it will take seven to eight years to complete it.

He pointed out that Jagjeet Singh, who is the complainant in the case, is not an eyewitness and his complaint is just based on hearsay.

"Jagjit Singh is the complainant and he is not an eyewitness. I am surprised that when there are many people saying we ran over people mercilessly, an FIR is registered on the version of a person who is not an eyewitness?" Rohatgi said, adding that his client is not a criminal and there are no past records.

It may be recalled that on October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri district's Tikunia in a violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area.

According to the Uttar Pradesh Police FIR, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV, in which Ashish Mishra was seated.

Following the incident, a driver and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.

On December 6 last year, a trial court had framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for the alleged offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and others in the case of death of the protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, paving the way for the start of the trial.

A total of 13 accused, including Ashish Mishra, have been charged under IPC sections 147 and 148 related to rioting, 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 427 (mischief) and 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), and section 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act.

The other 12 accused are Ankit Das, Nandan Singh Bisht, Latif Kale, Satyam a.k.a Satya Prakash Tripathi, Shekhar Bharti, Sumit Jaiswal, Ashish Pandey, Lavkush Rana, Shishu Pal, Ullas Kumar Trivedi, Rinku Rana and Dharmendra Banjara.

All of them are in jail.

MORE India ARTICLES

NIA raids 60 locations linked to gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Kala Jathedi, others

NIA raids 60 locations linked to gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Kala Jathedi, others
The NIA had been mulling action against big gangsters like Bishnoi, Kapil Sangwan and Neeraj Bawana and their aides. The Union Home Ministry had asked the NIA to uproot their entire network as they were involved in targeted killings and were acting like terrorists.

NIA raids 60 locations linked to gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Kala Jathedi, others

Goa Police to handover Phogat case to CBI today

Goa Police to handover Phogat case to CBI today
The Chief Minister said investigation into the case was almost completed.. Phogat had come to Goa on August 22 and was staying at a hotel in Anjuna. She felt uneasy that night and the next morning, she was taken to the St. Anthony's hospital where she was declared brought dead.

Goa Police to handover Phogat case to CBI today

Punjab to solarise one lakh electric tubewells

Punjab to solarise one lakh electric tubewells
The government provides free power to 13.88 lakh farmers of the state for their grid connected tubewells for irrigation and bears the expenditure of approximately Rs 7,000 crore as subsidy being paid to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL).

Punjab to solarise one lakh electric tubewells

3 college students killed as their van plunges into well in Coimbatore

3 college students killed as their van plunges into well in Coimbatore
The incident occurred at Thondamathur in Coimbatore district. Tamil Nadu fire and rescue department and local police are engaged in the process to lift the vehicle from the well-using cranes. Police said that rash driving could be the reason for the accident.

3 college students killed as their van plunges into well in Coimbatore

US education delegation coming to enhance academic ties with India

US education delegation coming to enhance academic ties with India
The US Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) will explore partnerships with the Indian education sector during the delegation visits to Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi between September 12-16. The delegation will comprise representatives of 21 US HEIs from 15 US states which will go around the three major Indian cities, against the backdrop of India's New Education Policy-2020.

US education delegation coming to enhance academic ties with India

India declares state mourning on Sunday for Queen Elizabeth II

India declares state mourning on Sunday for Queen Elizabeth II
The national flag will be flown at half-mast on Sunday throughout India and there will be no official entertainment programme on that day, a statement issued by the government said on Friday.  Britain is observing 10-day state mourning for Queen Elizabeth II. Britain's royal family will observe a period of mourning that will end on the seventh day after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. 

India declares state mourning on Sunday for Queen Elizabeth II