Allahabad HC - There is a chance that Mishra, who mowed down farmers sped up his vehicle to save himself

The Allahabad High Court granted bail to accused Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. The Court said that there might be a chance that the driver who mowed down protesting farmers sped up the vehicle to save himself.

Counsel appearing for Mishra argued that Mishra had been falsely implicated in the present case. To protest against the statements made by Teni against farmers, a crowd had gathered at a wrestling competition and public meeting that was to be attended by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. 

The Court, while granting bail, noted that no firearm injury had been found on the body of the deceased farmers as given in the FIR. The Court further said that the prosecution alleged that the accused provoked the driver to run over the protestors. However, the protestors killed the driver, along with two others, and the Court can not shut its eyes to the killing of three persons by the protestors. Moreover, the investigation is over, and the charge sheet has already been filed.

The Court lastly directed the Chief Secretary of the State of Uttar Pradesh to issue the required direction for regulating assemblies and processions to avoid inconvenience caused to the citizens.

Author: Papiha Ghoshal