Supreme Court to hear Lakhimpur Kheri violence case plea

The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear a plea from Ashish Mishra, the primary accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, on Monday. Mishra, the son of former Union Minister Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, is seeking bail and a relaxation of his current bail conditions.

The proceedings follow previous directions from the apex court regarding the conduct of the trial judge. On October 5, the court requested the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to investigate allegations raised by advocate Prashant Bhushan, who represents the victims. The allegations suggest the presiding officer improperly transferred several criminal cases to himself and acquitted accused individuals.

The 2021 violence occurred in the Tikunia area of Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district during a farmers' protest against a visit by then Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. The incident resulted in the deaths of eight people, including four farmers, two BJP workers, a driver, and a journalist. The trial is currently in its final stages, with 86 of the 130 prosecution witnesses having been examined.