Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Supreme Court asks Ashish Mishra to ‘strictly abide’ by bail norms

A Bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan allowed the victims to file a contempt petition after they alleged violation of bail conditions by Mr. Mishra by holding a public rally on October 2.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 23, 2024) directed former Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, an accused in the murder case connected to the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, to strictly abide by the bail conditions imposed on him.

A Bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan allowed the victims to file a contempt petition after they alleged violation of bail conditions by Mr. Mishra by holding a public rally on October 2.

“You have to strictly abide by the bail conditions,” the Bench told senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Mr. Ashish Mishra.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for one of the victims, said the top court while granting bail to Mr. Ashish Mishra on July 22 directed him to abide by the bail conditions and allowed him to visit the place of his trial only a day prior to the date fixed in the case.

“He went there (Lakhimpur Kheri) on October 1 as if there was a hearing on October 2, a national holiday, and the court was closed, and he addressed a massive public rally,” Mr. Bhushan said.

He also submitted a printout of a purported poster of the rally to the top court.

Mr. Dave, subsequently, objected to Mr. Bhushan’s submissions, arguing every time there was a court hearing, the opposite party levelled allegations of violation of the bail conditions.

Justice Kant later asked Mr. Bhushan to file a contempt petition if there was violation of the bail conditions and posted the matter post Deepavali vacations as the Registry could not trace the communication sent by the trial court.

On July 22, the top court granted bail to Mr. Mishra in the case and restricted his movements to Delhi or Lucknow. On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed at Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district.

Published - October 24, 2024 10:15 am IST