'Not slow paced', SC on trial in Lakhimpur Kheri violence case
Darpan News Desk IANS, 14 Mar, 2023 01:03 PM
New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the trial in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, which involves the son of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra as an accused, is not "slow paced".
On January 25, the Supreme Court granted interim bail for eight weeks to Ashish Mishra and directed him to leave Uttar Pradesh within one week of his release from jail.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and J.K. Maheshwari directed the sessions judge dealing with the trial of the case to keep apprising it about the future developments of the trial.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the victim families, submitted before the court that about 200 prosecution witnesses have to be examined, while expressing concern about the "slow pace of the trial". The bench replied that the trial is not slow paced and the court has received three letters from the trial judge.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Ashish Mishra, submitted that after the apex court order his client was released from jail and he has appeared before the trial court on every date of hearing.
Citing the January 25 order, the bench said the interim direction contained in this order would continue to operate. Pointing at the content of the letters received from the First Additional District and Sessions Judge, Lakhimpur Kheri, the bench said examination of three witnesses is over while cross-examination of one of them is going on.
The bench said, "We are not using the word monitoring but we are having indirect supervision on the trial and we will do that..."
Citing the January 25 order, the bench added that let this status continue for some more time and added that the trial court should continue to apprise it of the future developments of the trial and scheduled the matter for further hearing in May.
In January, the apex court imposed a slew of conditions while granting bail to Mishra: he will have to leave UP within one week of his release; he cannot stay in UP or NCT of Delhi/NCR; Mishra shall inform court about his location; and any attempt by his family members or Mishra himself to influence witness will lead to cancellation of his bail.
It further added -- Mishra will have to surrender his passport; he will not enter the Uttar Pradesh except to attend the trial proceedings; and, the prosecution, SIT, Informant or any family member of the victims of the crime will be at liberty to promptly inform this court of any incident of misuse of the concession of the interim bail.
"The petitioner shall appear before the Trial Court on every date of hearing and no adjournment shall be sought on his behalf. If the petitioner is found involved in prolonging the trial, it shall be taken as a valid ground to cancel the interim bail," said the bench.
On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri district's Tikunia in a violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Police FIR, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV, in which Ashish Mishra was seated.
Following the incident, a driver and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.
On December 6 last year, a trial court had framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for the alleged offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and others in the case of death of the protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, paving the way for the start of the trial.
The officers told the judge that mice and rates, though small in size, do not fear the police. The court has also issued five-point directions for the auction/disposal of weed stored in police warehouses.
The police conducted a raid at Chimbel and caught six accused persons red handed. The accused persons are identified as Akash Hiteshbhai Pancholi, 28; Thremho Kechingba, 23; Sanam Ringsa Bathari, 23; Anand Sujeet Sengyung, 26; Lairim Monmohan Hojai, 19 and Hemring Sonai Girisa, 22.
Jintu Das was demanding money from his mother Renu Das for buying a new mobile phone. According to police, when his demand was turned down, Jintu, aged around 20 years, hit his mother with an iron rod. She got severely injured and later succumbed to the injuries.
The party said that the "utterly horrible" language used by the BJP leaders shows how much they hate Delhiites and how they command zero respect for the feelings of the people of Delhi. Through their open threats shot at the CM elected by the 2 crore people of Delhi, the BJP is disrespecting not only the mandate given to CM Arvind Kejriwal but is also damaging the social fabric of Delhi, it said.
The investigations have revealed that a terrorist, gangster, and drug smugglers syndicate led by Bishnoi was involved in many targeted killings and extortion from businessmen, professionals including doctors and this had created terror among the public at large.
Meanwhile, a polygraph test on Aaftab is presently underway at the forensic science laboratory (FSL) in Rohini. Official sources said that a pre-medical session to gain some preliminary information which will be later used to develop diagnostic questions, as well as a scientific session was conducted on Aaftab at the FSL office on Tuesday evening.
