Lakhimpur Kheri: accused Ashish Mishra gets released

Lakhimpur Kheri/UP: In the Lakhimpur Kheri case, where a Union minister's son rammed his SUV into protesting farmers, killing eight people, the accused has been released on interim bail, IANS reported.

Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son, Ashish Mishra, was the accused in the case, and he was granted interim bail of eight weeks by the Supreme Court, releasing him from jail on Friday evening.

He was escorted home before getting him out of jail through its rear gate to avoid media. Family members refused to disclose where Ashish would relocate to after one week as per Supreme Court directives.

In its verdict, the Supreme Court directed Mishra to leave Uttar Pradesh within one week after his release from jail.

"Petitioner to give his passport to the trial court, and will not enter the state of Uttar Pradesh, apart from his appearance for trial proceedings," the court ordered, adding that he has to mark his attendance at the police station where he relocates.

The court further warned Mishra and his family against influencing witnesses, violation of which would lead to the cancellation of his bail. "If it is found that Mishra is trying to delay the trial, it will be a valid ground to cancel his bail," the court said in its order.

The case will be taken up on March 14.

On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri district's Tikunia, where violence had erupted when farmers were protesting against the then UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area. According to the UP Police FIR, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in which Ashish was seated.

Further, angry farmers allegedly lynched the driver and two BJP workers at the spot where a journalist also died.