'Will Continue Fighting': Kin of Deceased, Farmers Decry Ashish Mishra's Bail

Farmer orgs say move is 'gross miscarriage of justice'; brother of slain journalist said the case is not yet over

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri in October, after being run over by a convoy of cars.

(Photo: PTI)

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday, 10 February, granted bail to Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, the prime accused accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which had led to the deaths of eight people, including 4 farmers and one journalist.

Mishra had been in jail since 10 October.

Reacting to Mishra’s bail on the day UP goes to polls, Pawan Kashyap, brother of journalist Raman Kashyap who was killed in the violence said,

"We will continue fighting. Just because he was granted bail, it does not mean that the case is closed and that he is free"

He claimed that the High Court did not listen to their appeal and after a heated argument between the lawyers, they were deliberately cut off from the virtual hearing and their application for a re-hearing was dismissed.

"We will fight better," he said. He claimed that the court was pressurised by the government and those in power. "The government has taken advantage of the law and they will suffer the brunt of it," said Pawan.

He added,

"In the elections, the people will give them a hard answer. The government is scared that they will not be able to manipulate the case if the power changes after the elections. That's why they decided to grant him bail at the last moment before the elections."

Journalist Raman Kashyap, who worked for a local news channel, Sadhna Prime News, was sent to cover the events unfolding in the Lakhimpur Kheri district. Reports said that he was injured during the violence and later died during the treatment at a local hospital.

'Gross Miscarriage of Justice', 'Unfortunate': Farmer Orgs

Calling the bail order a “gross miscarriage of justice”, farmers organizations also condemned the High Court’s decision and urged the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter.

The All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha said in a statement on Thursday, “This judgement is not only a gross miscarriage of justice, it has shaken the faith and confidence of the nation in expecting justice from courts of law in matters when people in power commit Barbaric crimes on people with support from the police.”

It added, “AIKMS demands dismissal and arrest of the Ajay Mishra Teni the mastermind of this murder and conspiracy and hopes that the Supreme Court will take due notice of this.”

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha said that it is “unfortunate and surprising” that the court has granted bail to the chief accused in the case. It said,

"The brutal case of four farmers and a journalist being crushed to death in broad daylight by the son of a Union Minister was a trial for the rule of law across the country.”

It added, “The comments made by the Court on the agitation without any context are unwarranted. The court granting bail to Ashish Mishra without considering the firm possibility of a politically powerful accused influencing the witnesses is extremely disappointing.”