LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court on July 26 ruled out  the bail petition of Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra, in connection with the October 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The verdict was pronounced by a Lucknow bench of the court consisting of  Justice Krishna Pahal, which said that Ashish Mishra might influence witnesses if granted bail. Ashish Mishra, whose car was part of the convoy that ran over 8 people, including 4 protesting farmers, in Lakhimpur Kheri in 2021, is the key accused in the murder and conspiracy case.

In February this year, the Lucknow High Court granted bail. However, the Supreme Court overturned the bail judgment in April and asked the high court to examine his release application after giving the victims' side adequate opportunity. The bail applications of co-accused Lavkush, Ankit Das, Sumit Jaiswal, and Shishupal were denied by the high court in May.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has been investigating the issue, stated in January that the turmoil at the demonstration site of farmers protesting agricultural rules was a "pre-planned plot," as an act of negligence. The SIT had submitted a charge sheet against the 14 defendants in the case that was nearly 5,000 pages long.

It also advised the state government to fight Ashish Mishra's bail, claiming that he is a powerful individual who could tamper with evidence while on release. The state government, however, had not opposed the bail in the Supreme Court. The families of the victims filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.

Mohammed Zubair also sent to 14-day judicial custody from Lakhimpur court

Calcutta HC denies bail to 13 suspects in post-election violence case

Kerala High Court: Kids of unwed women, rape victims also have right to dignity