The Supreme Court-appointed committee in the Lakhimpur violence case on Monday filed a status report wherein it said that the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case had requested the Uttar Pradesh government 'twice' to challenge the bail granted to accused Ashish Mishra in Supreme Court, reported Live Law.
Ashish Mishra, the prime accused in the case, was arrested in the case on October 9 last year for his involvement in the violence in Lakhimpur that claimed 8 lives including four farmers. He was released on bail on February 14 by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court after his lawyers submitted two bail bonds of Rs 3 lakh each. Ashish is the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra 'Teni'.
The Supreme Court had appointed Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to monitor the investigation in the case and had also reconstituted the SIT. The SC committee's report also stated that there was enough evidence to substantiate that Ashish Mishra was present at the spot of the violence that killed eight people in Lakhimpur.
Further, according to the SIT it is also substantiated that the 13 accused (and three dead accused) went to the scene of the crime in a premeditated manner, using three vehicles in a convoy and driving them at a very high speed on a narrow road which was full of people gathered to protest.
After Ashish was granted bail by the HC, a petition was filed in the top court seeking the cancellation of bail. A special bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli had on March 30 directed the Uttar Pradesh government to respond by April 4 to the two reports of a retired judge monitoring the SIT probe in the case suggesting the cancellation of bail to Ashish Mishra, reported PTI.
After hearing the arguments today, the top court reserved its order on the plea for the cancellation of bail.
On October 3 last year, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area.
Also Read: 'Monitoring judge recommended cancellation of bail to Ashish Mishra', SC seeks UP govt's response
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