From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: In the Lakhimpur killings of October 2, 2021, the Uttar Pradesh government has denied the charge that it effectively didn’t oppose the bail application of Ashish Mishra, alias Monu, son of Union Minister of State for Home Teni, quoting from the February 10 bail order of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad Court that “AAG (additional advocate general) V K Shahi vehemently opposed the prayer of the applicant.
In the counter affidavit filed against the relatives of the killed farmers, Special Home Secretary Kumar Prashant also denied any role of Ashish in an assault on a witness of the case on March 10, 2022 in an altercation during the Holi festival as he was not present there. The affidavit said witness Diljot Singh, who is provided a police gunner, as well as 97 other witnesses have been provided the gunners and protection is provided to them as per the Supreme Court’s orders.
It said the state had provided all evidences in the High Court while affirming that Ashish was not entitled for bail. The affidavit also provided one filed before the HC which clearly demonstrates that the bail application was vehemently opposed by the state, contrary to the petition’s claim. It said the AAG also told the High Court about an SIT set up by the Apex Court under monitor of Justice (retd) Rakesh Kumar Jain of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, and supervised by S.B. Shiradkar ADG, Intelligence Headquarter, Nanded, Maharashtra, ith two IPS Police officers of UP, namely Ms. Padmja Chauhan JG, and Dr.Preetinder Singh, DIG.
On why the State did not challenge the bail, the affidavit said the limitation period against the bail order is still running and the decision is pending before the relevant authorities to file SLP against the bail order.
The affidavit also denied any link between the October 3, 2021 killings and beating up of a witness by some miscreants. Diljot Singh’s gunner Manoj Singh assigned to protect him as well as three independent eye witnesses of March 10 incident were examined and all four stated that an altercation between Diljot and the attacker party happened over throwing of Gulal on him in night at around 8.15 pm when he came towards a primary school near Danga, on a tractor trolley laden with sugarcane. The fight began after Diljot objected to the persons throwing Gulal on him.
