Lakhimpur Kheri violence case: SC says day-to-day trial may not be possible

The Supreme Court on Monday said it may not be possible to direct the trial court to conduct daytoday hearing in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case in which Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishras son Ashish is among those facing prosecution as it may affect other cases pending thereA bench of Justices Surya Kant and J K Maheshwari which perused a letter sent to the apex court by the trial court observed it appeared that the trial court is dealing with the case sincerelyAdvocate Prashant Bhushan representing the families of farmers killed in the violence requested the bench to ask the trial court to have daytoday hearing in the matter and said out of around 200 prosecution witnesses only three have been examined so farAlso Read SC to hear on April 28 plea seeking independent probe into killing of Atiq Ahmad AshrafDaytoday trial may not be possible other cases are also pending there It may affect the pending cases the bench observedBhushan said this is a common experience that cases may go on for 20 years during trialThat is the precise reason that we have kept this matter pending here the bench saidBhushan said the trial court may be asked to examine two prosecution witnesses in a weekThe bench said the matter is scheduled to be taken up by the trial court on May 5The apex court which posted the matter for further hearing on July 11 said the interim direction given earlier by it shall continue to operateWhile hearing the matter on March 14 the apex court had said the trial in the case was not slow paced and directed the sessions judge concerned to keep apprising it about the future developments of the trialThe top court had observed though it is not monitoring the trial it is having an indirect supervision on itIt had said the interim direction contained in its January 25 order by which it had granted eightweek interim bail to Ashish Mishra in the case shall continue to operateThe court had also directed Ashish Mishra to leave Uttar Pradesh within one week of his release from jailOn October 3 2021 eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri districts Tikunia after violence erupted when farmers were protesting against the then Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Mauryas visit to the areaAccording to the Uttar Pradesh Police FIR four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in which Ashish Mishra was seated Following the incident the driver of the SUV and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers A journalist also died in the violenceIn its January 25 order the top court had exercised its suomoto constitutional powers and directed that four accused Guruwinder Singh Kamaljeet Singh Gurupreet Singh and Vichitra Singh who were arrested in connection with a separate FIR lodged over the killing of three occupants of the SUV which allegedly mowed down farmers there be released on interim bail till further ordersWhile granting eightweek interim bail to Ashish Mishra the bench had said any attempt made by him his family or supporters to influence or threaten the witnesses directly or indirectly shall entail cancellation of interim bailIt had said Ashish Mishra shall surrender his passport to the trial court within one week of his release on interim bail and not enter Uttar Pradesh except to attend the trial proceedingsThe apex court had also said he shall disclose the place of his residence to the trial court as well as the jurisdictional police station where he would stay during the period of interim bailThe trial court shall send progress reports to this court after every date of hearing along with details of witnesses examined on each dateiquest the top court had saidThe Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on July 26 last year rejected Ashish Mishras bail plea He had challenged the high courts order in the apex courtOn December 6 last year the trial court framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for the alleged offences of murder criminal conspiracy and other penal laws in the case of death of the four protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri paving the way for the start of the trialThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever