Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Lakhimpur Kheri Violence

As per the plea by the kin of the victims, the HC overlooked the "overwhelming evidence" against Mishra.

A plea challenges Allahabad HC's bail order granted to Ashish Mishra.

(Photo: The Quint)

The Supreme Court on Monday, 21 February, took suo motu cognisance of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which farmers were mowed down by a car belonging to Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra in October 2021.

The kin of farmers, who were killed in the violence, approached the Supreme Court on Monday, challenging the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to Ashish Mishra.

Filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan, the plea indicated that the families were forced to move the apex court after the state of Uttar Pradesh failed to file an appeal in the matter.

The petitioners said that the high court overlooked the "overwhelming evidence" against Mishra, as the chargesheet, which was filed on 3 January 2022, was not recorded prior to the final hearing on 18 January.

The victims of the tragedy were obstructed from presenting evidence during the bail hearing, as their counsel was disconnected from the call on 18 January, it added, resulting in them barely making any submissions.

Mishra had been in jail since 10 October after eight people, including four farmers, were killed in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri in October 2021, after being run over by a convoy of cars.

'Overwhelming evidence' Against Mishra

The plea stated that the bail on 10 February was granted without considering in its order "the heinous nature of the crime; the character of the overwhelming evidence against the accused in the chargesheet; position and status of the accused with reference to the victim and witnesses; the likelihood of the accused fleeing from justice and repeating the offence; and the possibility of his tampering with the witnesses and obstructing the course of justice."

Ashish Mishra, whose car was part of the convoy, had been arrested on murder charges.