A day after UP government told the Supreme Court it “vehemently opposed” the bail application of Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the apex court sought response from the state on two reports of monitoring judge in the case where the judge had written to state to file appeal in top court to cancel bail granted to Ashish Mishra.
A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli asked the Uttar Pradesh government counsel, “It appears from the report of the monitoring judge that he recommended cancellation of bail. What’s your stand?”
The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court it had “vehemently opposed” the bail application of Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra. The state government also submitted that a decision to challenge the grant of bail by the Allahabad High Court to Ashish Mishra is pending consideration before the relevant authorities.
Denying allegations that a witness was attacked over the Lakhimpur Kheri case, the Uttar Pradesh government said they were attacked over a personal dispute involving throwing colours on Holi.
Lakhimpur Kheri violence case latest updates
SC seeks response from UP govt on reports of monitoring judge
The Supreme Court has sought response from UP government on to two reports of monitoring judge in Lakhimpur Kheri violence case where the judge had written to state to file appeal in top court to cancel bail granted to Ashish Mishra.
A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli asked the Uttar Pradesh government counsel, “It appears from the report of the monitoring judge that he recommended cancellation of bail. What’s your stand?”
The bench pointed out that the SIT had two written letters to the additional chief secretary, home, Uttar Pradesh. Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, submitted he had no idea about the letters and sought some time to take instructions in the matter. The Chief Justice said the monitoring judge has recommended that bail granted to Mishra must be challenged. Jethmalani sought five minutes to come up with a response in the matter.
The next date of hearing is April 4.
UP govt says ‘vehemently opposed’ Ashish Mishra’s bail
The Uttar Pradesh government had “vehemently opposed” the bail application by Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra, the state told the Supreme Court, denying allegations of not protecting a witness and going soft on the accused.
Petition filed by families of victims challenging Mishra’s bail to be heard today
Petition filed by the families of some victims challenging Ashish Mishra’s bail will be heard by the court today.
‘Decision to challenge bail by Allahabad HC pending consideration’
Refuting allegations that it had not effectively opposed the bail plea, the state government also submitted that a decision to challenge the grant of bail by the Allahabad High Court to Ashish Mishra is pending consideration before the relevant authorities.
Families of victims, witnesses given adequate security, says UP govt
Replying to an affidavit filed on the appeal by the family members of the farmers against the high court order, the Uttar Pradesh government also told the court on Tuesday that the families of victims and witnesses have been given adequate security. The state government said they have been receiving continuous security under the Witness Protection Scheme of 2018.
“Each witness has one armed police gunner. The families of the victims have one armed gunner each, along with permanent security guard and continuous monitoring through installed CCTV cameras, as well as barrier duty at their residence. A total of 98 people have been provided security, of which 79 are from Kheri district, 17 from outlying districts and 2 from the state of Uttarakhand,” it said and gave the names of those 98 people with their addresses. It said that all the witnesses are also regularly contacted by the police for appraisal of their security conditions and they were interviewed telephonically most recently on March 20 and expressed satisfaction with the security provided to them.
‘key witness in the case was allegedly beaten up by miscreants’
The UP government further said investigations showed that a key witness in the case, Diljot Singh, was allegedly beaten up by miscreants on March 10 due to a sudden altercation that broke out after they threw Holi colours on him. The state government made the submission while rejecting allegations in the FIR filed by the witness that the attackers had issued threats that now that the BJP had won the UP elections, they would “see to him”.
Top court seeks responses of UP government
On March 16, the top court had sought responses of the UP government and Ashish Mishra on a plea challenging the grant of bail to him. It had also directed the state government to ensure protection of witnesses after counsel, appearing for farmers, referred to the attack on a key witness on March 10. On October 3 last year, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during the violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to the area.
Four farmers were runover by an SUV following which the driver and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence that triggered outrage among opposition parties and farmer groups agitating over the Centre’s farm laws.
(With PTI inputs)
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