LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra, in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
Dismissing the bail plea the bench of Justice Krishna Pahal said the accused was politically so influential that he would influence witnesses and affect the trial.
The bench had earlier reserved its order on Ashish's bail plea on July 15.
Earlier 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 on his bail plea after allowing an adequate opportunity to the victims to present their side before the court. Thereafter Ashish moved a fresh bail plea before the high court.
On May 9, the court rejected the bail pleas of co-accused Lavkush, Ankit Das, Sumit Jaiswal, and Shishupal and observed that the four accused were actively involved in planning and participation in the heinous offense committed in a "cruel and inhuman manner" and as such did not deserve bail.
The bench had further observed that the 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.
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.