Ashish Mishra has denied these allegations in his affidavit. He stated that every time the case is brought before the court, such claims are made in an attempt to revoke the bail granted to him by the Supreme Court. He argued that these claims are baseless and aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
New Delhi: On Monday (20th Jan), the Supreme Court of India directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to submit a report regarding accusations that Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, is attempting to influence witnesses in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
The bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh instructed the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Lakhimpur Kheri to conduct a fact-finding inquiry and file a detailed report with the court. The case involves serious allegations surrounding the deaths of eight people, including farmers, during a protest in October 2021.
Ashish Mishra has denied these allegations in his affidavit. He stated that every time the case is brought before the court, such claims are made in an attempt to revoke the bail granted to him by the Supreme Court. He argued that these claims are baseless and aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
In response to these allegations, advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the complainants, presented an audio recording that allegedly captures an attempt to influence crucial witnesses in the case. Bhushan further argued that Mishra violated his bail conditions by attending a public meeting, which he claimed was an attempt to interfere with the ongoing case.
Bhushan urged the court to consider the cancellation of Mishra’s bail, saying, “The court may ascertain the authenticity of the material brought before it.”
He also requested the court to evaluate the evidence submitted in the case, including the audio recording.
On the other hand, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, who represents Ashish Mishra, opposed Bhushan’s claims. He argued that his client was being unfairly targeted and that there was no merit to the accusations. Dave also clarified that Mishra was present in the Lok Sabha Secretariat in Delhi on the day of the public meeting, which Bhushan had referred to in his submission.
The Supreme Court bench instructed both Bhushan and Dave to submit their evidence to Ruchira Goel, the standing counsel for the Uttar Pradesh government. Goel was tasked with ensuring that the material is handed over to the Superintendent of Police in Lakhimpur Kheri for further investigation.
The matter has been scheduled for a further hearing in four weeks.
Ashish Mishra had been granted bail by the Supreme Court on July 22, 2022. As part of his bail conditions, his movement was restricted to Delhi and Lucknow.
The Lakhimpur Kheri violence occurred on October 3, 2021, during a farmers’ protest against the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to the area. During the protest, a sports utility vehicle ran over four farmers, resulting in their deaths. Following this, a mob allegedly lynched a driver and two BJP workers, while a journalist was also killed in the violence.
As the investigation into this case continues, the Supreme Court’s orders to probe the allegations of witness tampering and bail violations will play a crucial role in determining the future course of action.
Case Title: Ashish Mishra Alias Monu v. State of U.P. SLP(Crl) No. 7857/2022
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