The Supreme Court on Monday refused to revoke the bail granted to Ashish Mishra, son of former Union Minister Ajay Mishra, despite allegations that witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case were being threatened.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh observed that the police report did not confirm claims that an associate of Mishra had attempted to influence witnesses. However, the Court allowed the witness to file a complaint with local authorities, directing that it be assessed independently. It also ordered the prompt examination of key witnesses in the case.
“The trial will proceed as scheduled, with the next hearing on April 16. Priority should be given to recording the statements of eyewitnesses and crucial witnesses. A timeline for the same should be submitted before the next date,” the Court stated.
In November 2024, the Court had asked Mishra to respond to allegations raised in an application linked to his bail plea. The Superintendent of Police in Lakhimpur Kheri was also instructed to investigate the matter, and a report was submitted on Monday.
During the hearing, Advocate Prashant Bhushan argued that a BJP member had attempted to influence a witness, but the police claimed the individual’s identity was unknown. Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, representing Mishra, denied the allegations. The Court responded, “If you are aggrieved, you may file an application.”
Mishra is accused of killing four farmers during a protest against the now-repealed farm laws in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, in 2021. The violence resulted in eight deaths, including that of a journalist. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) later filed a 5,000-page chargesheet against Mishra and others.
The Supreme Court, which has been overseeing the trial, granted Mishra interim bail in January 2023, followed by regular bail in July 2024. Under his bail conditions, Mishra is allowed to reside in Delhi or Lucknow but may visit Lakhimpur Kheri for trial proceedings.
Addressing concerns over the large number of witnesses in the case, Justice Kant remarked, “Why have such an extensive list of witnesses? It has become a trend to cite 200-300 witnesses, of whom many later retract their statements. The prosecution should streamline the list scientifically and avoid redundancy.”
Meanwhile, the Court granted Mishra permission to visit Lakhimpur Kheri on April 5 for Ram Navami celebrations. “The petitioner may visit Lakhimpur Kheri on April 5, celebrate Ram Navami on April 6, but no political workers should participate. He must return to Lucknow by 5 PM on April 7,” the Court ordered.
