Lakhimpur Kheri Case: SC Pulls Up UP Govt For Not Cancelling Ashish Misra’s Bail

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, March 30, questioned the Uttar Pradesh administration for not cancelling the bail of Ashish Misra, the prime accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, as per the recommendation of the special investigation team.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asked the lawyer appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, “It appears from the report of the monitoring judge that he had recommended the cancellation of bail and recommended that an application be filed for this. Why was this not done?”

Ashish Misra was arrested on October 9 last year in connection with the violence that erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri. On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri in clashes during a farmers’ protest.

He was released from jail after he was granted bail by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. Ashish Misra’s lawyers submitted two bail bonds of Rs 3 lakh each in regards to his bail orders on February 14.

The petitioners’ lawyer, Dushyant Dave, said: “Minister Ajay Misra [father of Ashish Misra] is very influential.”

The SIT wrote to the chief secretary (Home), recommending that the bail be cancelled. The monitoring judge also said this in his letter, said the CJI.

To this, the UP government’s counsel said: “I have no information about this. I have not seen the report, nor has the instructing standing counsel seen it.” He then went out of the courtroom to call the Chief Secretary of UP over the phone. He then informed the court that the Chief Secretary’s office had not received the recommendation letter from the SIT or the monitoring judge.

The SC then asked the registrar to provide a copy of the report filed by the monitoring judge on February 22 to both the government’s counsel and the petitioners. Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for Ashish Misra, also sought a copy. He also urged to adjourn the next hearing to Monday. CJI Ramana granted the request but said: “The matter has been prolonged for more than a month.”