New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday allowed an eyewitness in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case to move UP Police after being allegedly threatened for testifying against Ashish Mishra, son of former union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said upon a complaint by the eyewitness, the police should investigate the allegations “dispassionately” without being influenced by the conclusions drawn earlier in its report.
The bench gave the liberty to the police to file a fresh status report, if required.
The top court also refused to cancel the bail granted to Ajay in January, 2024 in the case for alleged violation of bail conditions and allowed him to visit his family at Lakhimpur Kheri on the occasion of Ram Navami festival on April 5 and 6.
He was directed to return to Lucknow from Lakhimpur Kheri on April 7 before 5pm and barred from mixing with political workers during his visit to the home town.
The top court took on record the status report filed by UP Police in which it denied the claim of victims that Mishra attended a political rally in Lakhimpur Kheri in violation of the bail conditions.
The police have said in its status report that Mishra’s picture of attending the rally was an old picture which was shown as the latest picture of him attending the rally in October, last year.
The bench told UP Police to revisit the list of witnesses in the cases and priortise the examination of only the crucial ones.
“Examination of witnesses takes time and if you have hundreds of them, it will be an endless trial,” the bench told advocate Ruchira Goel, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government.
The top court posted the matter post April 16 after being informed the matter was coming up in the trial court.
Seeking cancellation of Mishra’s bail, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the victims, said threats being issued to the witnesses was a serious matter.
He said the police hadn’t examined the eyewitness, who was allegedly threatened by the husband of the leader of a political party against testifying in the court in the case.
Justice Surya Kant said the court was allowing the eyewitness to make a complaint before the police, which would be examined.
Senior advocate Sidharth Dave, appearing for Mishra, opposed the submissions saying every time the matter came up for hearing, allegations were made against his client.
On January 20, the top court sought a report from UP Police after allegations, accusing Mishra of influencing witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, surfaced.
Mishra denied the allegations and said every time the matter was listed, such averments were made for the cancellation of his bail granted by the top court.
The apex court granted bail to Mishra on July 22 last year and restricted his movement to Delhi or Lucknow.
On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district during a protest by farmers against Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to the area.
Four farmers were mowed down by a sports utility vehicle. A driver and two BJP workers were then allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.
The trial court in December, 2023 framed charges against Mishra and 12 others for murder, criminal conspiracy and under other penal laws in the case of the farmers’ deaths, paving the way for the trial of the case. PTI MNL AMK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.