Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Allahabad HC grants bail to Ashish Mishra

Lucknow, Feb 10: Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC on granted bail to Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra alias Monu in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which eight people including four farmers were killed.

Justice Rajeev Singh granted bail to him in the case. The counsel appearing on behalf of the Union minister's son had told the court that his client was innocent and there was no evidence against him that he incited the driver of a vehicle to crush the farmers.

Opposing the plea, Additional Advocate General V K Shahi had said that at the time of the incident, Ashish Mishra was in the car that mowed down the farmers.

The SIT of the UP police that is probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence had claimed that Lakhimkeri incident was a "pre-planned conspiracy", and also sought to substitute lesser charges in the case with graver ones.

The SIT also contended that the evidence gathered so far established that the violence leading to the death of the four farmers and a journalist and injuries to several others was "not an act of negligence or carelessness".

On October 3, 2021, 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.

Ashish Mishra is one of the accused in the incident.