Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, was on Monday sent to three days in police custody by a local court in connection with the charges against him over allegedly mowing down farmers last week during a protest in Tikonia in Lakhimpur Kheri.
Eight persons — four farmers, three BJP workers including a driver of a vehicle belonging to the Mishras and a local scribe — were killed in the incident, following which two first information reports (FIRs) were lodged.
Mr. Ashish Mishra was sent to 14-day judicial custody after his arrest late on Saturday. The police then sought his custody for 14 days.
However, Chief Judicial Magistrate Chinta Ram granted the prosecution only a three-day police custody, said S.P Yadav, prosecution lawyer.
Mr. Yadav said the police remand was granted on conditions that Mr. Ashish Mishra would not be harassed, his medical examination would be conducted, and his lawyer would be allowed to be present during his questioning.
‘Fair probe impossible’
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra observed a silent fast at the Gandhi statue in Lucknow’s Hazratganj area demanding the dismissal of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra.
Taking to social media, Ms. Vadra later asked how Mr. Ajay Mishra could stay on as Union Minister after the arrest of Mr. Ashish on charges of allegedly killing protesting farmers.
“For a fair probe and justice, dismissal of union minister of home affairs is necessary,” Ms. Vadra tweeted.
BJP under fire
Amid growing criticism of the BJP over the incident, which took place in the agrarian belt of the Terai, the party’s State president Swatantra Dev Singh on Sunday urged party workers to win the confidence of the people through their conduct.
Without making a direct reference to Lakhimpur Kheri, Mr. Dev Singh said that being a political leader didn't mean that one could loot or “mow down people by a Fortuner”.
Multiple charges
Ashish Mishra was arrested after he did not co-operate during interrogation and was not willing to share certain things asked of him, police had said.
He was named as the accused in the murder case lodged by farmers after cars belonging to his father's convoy ran over protesting farmers. The FIR was lodged under murder, criminal conspiracy, rash driving and death by negligence, among charges.
On Saturday morning, Ashish Mishra went to the crime branch office in Lakhimpur after the police issued him a second summon as he failed to turn up after the first one on Friday.
