SC seeks UP's reply on plea seeking to cancel Ashish Mishra's bail in Lakhimpur case

New Delhi, Mar 16: The Supreme Court issued notice to Uttar Pradesh Government, asked them to file reply on plea seeking cancellation of bail of Lakhimpur Kheri violence accused Ashish Mishra, who is the son of MoS MHA Ajay Mishra Teni. The apex court also directed to protect the witnesses in the case.

Ashish Mishra had allegedly ran over eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, with a car on October 3 during a protest in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district against the now-repealed three farm laws.

He was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court on February 10. Families of the deceased farmers had challenged the bail order in the Supreme Court last month.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for some farmers, had told the Supreme Court on March 11 that a prime witness in the case was attacked the night before.

Referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in all eight seats in Lakhimpur Kheri district in the recently-concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Bhushan also said that the prime witness was being threatened, PTI reported. "The people who attacked the witness threatened by saying now that BJP has won, they will take care of him," he submitted.