Lakhimpur Kheri: SC reserves order on bail cancellation plea, questions detailed examination of evidence

New Delhi, April 4: The Supreme Court on Monday referred to the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh) violence case and questioned the detailed examination of evidence like post-mortem report while granting bail to Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister Ajay Mishra, in the case.

A special Bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli also reserved its verdict on the plea seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Ashish Mishra in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

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“How can the Judge go into post-mortem report, etc? We are hearing a bail matter, we do not want to prolong. This way of going into merits and going into wounds etc is unnecessary for the question of bail,” the Supreme Court Bench observed.

Senior advocate Dushayant Dave and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the farmers, sought the cancellation of the bail alleging that the Allahabad High Court overlooked the probe report and went by the FIR while granting the relief to the accused. The Uttar Pradesh government, however, termed the offence grave and said all witnesses had been granted protection.

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On March 16, the Supreme Court had sought responses of the Uttar Pradesh Government and Ashish Mishra, on a plea challenging the grant of bail to him. It had directed the Uttar Pradesh Government to ensure protection of witnesses after the counsel, appearing for farmers, referred to the attack on a key witness on March 10.

The case

At least eight persons were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh) during a violence during farmers' protest against Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit.

-PTC News with agency inputs