NEW DELHI: Taking a serious view of attack on a key witness of the Lakhimpur Kheri mowing down of the four farmers on October 3, 2021, by the car of main accused Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh government to take steps to protect all the witnesses and questioned it why it did not challenge
the grant of bail to Ashish..
Asking Uttar Pradesh government to file a “detailed affidavit” narrating the steps that have been taken to protect the witnesses, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, heading a special bench, also comprising Justices
Surya Kant and Hima Kohli also sought response on the plea seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Ashish Mishra by Allahabad High Court on February 10.
Directing the posting of the matter on March 24, CJI Ramana ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to “file a detailed affidavit and ensure all the witnesses are protected.” Notice has also been issued to Ashish Mishra.
As senior lawyer Dushyant Dave, appearing for the petitioner Jagjeet Singh and other family members of deceased farmers, told the court that Ashish Mishra was granted bail on February 10 and Uttar Pradesh
government has not challenged it, CJI Ramana asked the lawyer representing Uttar Pradesh, “Madam what is this?” She responded saying that she has no instructions.
Lawyer Prashant Bhushan told the court that they had in advance served the copy of the petition on the State government.
Dushyant Dave told the court that the High Court judge has “completely misdirected himself on the principle relating to the grant of bail” in granting bail to Ashish Mishra completely ignoring the well-reasoned detailed trial court order refusing bail.
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