The Supreme Court on September 26, 2023, “deemed it appropriate” to allow Ashish Mishra, son of a Union Minister and prime accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri killings case, to “visit and stay” in Delhi to take care of his ailing mother and daughter, who is scheduled for a surgery.
In January, the top court had forbidden Mr. Mishra from entering Delhi and Uttar Pradesh as a condition for granting him interim bail.
A Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant clarified that the bail condition has been eased only as regards Delhi. Uttar Pradesh continues to remain out of bounds for Mr. Mishra.
The court cautioned Mr. Mishra against participating in any public forum or appearing or addressing the media about the case.
Appearing for Mr. Mishra, senior advocate Siddharth Dave said his client’s mother was in RML Hospital.
The court has meanwhile issued notice to Uttar Pradesh on a plea by Mr. Mishra for bail. The court noted that the trial in the Lakhimpur Kheri case was progressing.
Mr. Mishra is accused of murder after an SUV allegedly belonging to his convoy mowed down farmers protesting controversial agricultural laws in a rally at Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh on October 3, 2021.
Mr. Mishra was initially released on interim bail for eight weeks. This was extended from time to time.
The Supreme Court had at the time reasoned that the interim bail and conditions imposed on Mr. Mishra was a balancing of the right of the accused to liberty, the right of the State to conduct a fair trial and the right of the victim to get justice.
