Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has requested advocate Prashant Bhushan to furnish evidence supporting allegations of a breach of the terms of interim bail granted to Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra. This pertains to the case involving the tragic incident where protesting farmers were struck down in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri in October 2021.
Ashish Mishra purportedly engaged in the distribution of tricycles at an event in Uttar Pradesh, despite the court’s restriction permitting his entry into the state solely for trial proceedings. Initially granted in January 2023, his interim bail has been repeatedly extended by the court.
During the proceedings, a bench comprising justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha highlighted the potential violation of the bail order if Ashish Mishra indeed participated in the event physically. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the farmers’ families, was permitted by the court to submit pertinent evidence substantiating these claims.
Expressing disbelief, Bhushan questioned how Ashish Mishra could have been present at the event and distributed tricycles, vowing to submit an affidavit outlining the apparent breach of the court’s order. He cited a video allegedly depicting Ashish Mishra’s attendance at the event.
Although the court refrained from issuing any immediate orders, it verbally instructed Bhushan to proceed with filing his affidavit without incorporating it into the formal order.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, representing Ashish Mishra, dismissed the allegations, asserting that his client would not jeopardize his liberty in such a manner. Dave emphasized the disparity between verbal claims made in court and substantive evidence presented in writing.
In addition to addressing the bail issue, the Supreme Court emphasized the need for an expedited trial in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Noting concerns regarding absent witnesses, the court directed efforts towards ensuring their presence in court, thereby preventing unnecessary delays. The court instructed the Supreme Court registry to furnish the trial judge’s report to Garima Parsad, Uttar Pradesh’s additional advocate-general, for necessary action.
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