New Delhi: Ashish Mishra, the main accused in the killing of four farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri in October last year, was released from prison on Tuesday, February 15. after being granted bail by the Allahabad high court on February 10.
Mishra’s lawyer, Avdesh Kumar Singh, said that the court had demanded that the accused deposit two sureties with it worth Rs 3 lakh each, but had not imposed any restrictions with regards to him leaving the city, NDTV reported.
Ashish Mishra is the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra. One of the key demands of the protesting farmers’ during their year-long protest was that Ajay Mishra be sacked after the Lakhimpur Kheri incident occurred.
Ashish Mishra was among 13 people arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police with regards to the four farmers’ deaths, who were later charged with attempted murder by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the incident.
The Allahabad high court’s decision came on February 10, the day of the first phase of the seven-phased Uttar Pradesh’s assembly polls. Lower courts had earlier rejected Ashish Mishra’s bail plea.
While granting bail, the high court had raised questions of several charges filed by the police under which Mishra had been arrested. The police had charged him with firing at the protestors; however, the court noted that no bullet wounds were found on the bodies of the deceased or injured.
Moreover, the court had raised questions about the role of the protestors in the killings of the driver of the SUV that allegedly ran over the protestors as well as the two BJP workers who were also casualties in the incident.
The Wire had previously reported that the court said the accused was entitled to bail as he had appeared before the investigating officer when summoned and a charge-sheet had already been filed in the case.
Also read: Lakhimpur Kheri: Allahabad HC Grants Bail to Ashish Mishra; Farmers May Challenge Order in SC
Discussions to challenge the high courts bail plea in the Supreme Court are reportedly underway among the farmers’ unions.
The next phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections is on Sunday, February 20. Lakhimpur goes to polls in the fourth phase which will be held on February 23.