New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Tuesday that it would organise a bench for Wednesday to hear a plea, challenging Allahabad High Court granting bail to Lakhimpur Kheri incident accused Ashish Mishra, NDTV reported.
The SC bench headed by Chief Justice Of India (CJI) NV Ramana took notice of Prashant Bhushan, who had approached the court on behalf of some farmers who alleged that there was an attack on one of the chief witnesses in the case.
Bhushan told the court that those who attacked the witness said that since BJP is back in power in Uttar Pradesh, where Lakhimpur Kheri is located, they are "going to take care" of the farmers.
Further, Bhushans said that other accused in the case are also moving for bail after Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, received relief from Allahabad HC.
After agreeing to take the case the next day, CJI asked Bhushan to inform the state government counsel about the hearing.
On March 11, the apex court had agreed to list the case on Tuesday.
It was on February 10 that Allahabad HC granted Ashish Mishra bail. But, three family members of the deceased farmers in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident demanded a stay on the HC order and argued that the rule was "unsustainable in the eyes of the law as there has been no meaningful and effective assistance by the state to the court in the matter".
Eight people were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, which happened on October 3, 2021, after an SUV rammed into a protesting farmers' crowd. Four among the dead were farmers, a BJP leader and his driver, and a journalist was among them. The BJP leader and the driver were alleged victims of angry farmers.