Lakhimpur violence: Allahabad High Court denies bail to Ashish Mishra

The Justice Krishna Pahal bench said Ashish is politically so influential that he could influence the witnesses and affect the trial

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Tuesday denied bail to Union Minister of State for Home Ajai Kumar Mishra's son Ashish Mishra, who was the prime accused in the killing of four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh in October last year.

A single-bench headed by Justice Krishna Pahal, said while rejecting the bail application of Ashish that the latter was politically powerful and could influence the witnesses in the case.

Ashish Mishra had earlier been granted bail by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court in February this year but the Supreme Court, upon being moved by the farmers, cancelled the bail and referred the matter back to the HC. Earlier the HC had also rejected the bail applications of four other accused persons namely Ankit Das, Luvkush, Sumit Jaiswal and Shishupal.

The cout had then remarked that the incident might not have happened had Union Minister Ajai Kumar Mishra not used provocative language against the farmers. ''Political persons holding high offices, should make public utterances in a decent language considering its repercussions in the society...They should not make irresponsible statements as they are required to conduct themselves befitting their status and dignity of high office which they hold,'' the court had said.

Eight people, including four farmers and a local scribe, were killed in the violence at Tikonia in the district when hundreds of farmers held protests against Ajai Kumar Mishra over the latter's remarks threatening them with dire consequences if they continued to oppose the now scrapped farm laws.