‘Hope in Justice System Restored’: SKM After SC Sets Aside Ashish Mishra’s Bail

On Monday, the apex court cancelled the bail of Ashish Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri murder case.

Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Teni Mishra and the 'main accused' in the Lakhimpur case.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has said that by cancelling the bail of the main accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri murder case, Ashish Mishra alias Monu, the Supreme Court has restored hope in the justice system.

Earlier on Monday, the apex court cancelled the bail of Mishra in connection with the October 2021 incident at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh wherein a vehicle allegedly belonging to him had mowed down several people including protesting farmers.

The Allahabad High Court had granted bail to the accused on 10 February.

SKM Demands Sacking of Ajay Mishra Teni

"After this order of the Supreme Court, (Union Minister for Home) Ajay Mishra Teni – Ashish's father – should be immediately sacked from the post of minister," the SKM demanded.

"If this does not happen, then in the first week of May, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha will hold a national meeting and announce a nationwide protest programme," it added.

"Justice should be given to the farmers implicated in the Lakhimpur Kheri case and its eyewitnesses should be given protection," said the consortium of farmers that had carried out more than a year long agitation to protest the now-repealed three farm laws.

"Efforts were on to save the criminals from the very beginning in this heinous murder that took place on 3 October, and justice has been achieved only after repeated intervention of the Supreme Court. After this order, there is no justification left for Teni to continue in the Union Cabinet," the farmers said.

"Before this massacre, on 26 September, Minister Ajay Mishra Teni had openly threatened the farmers, but till date no action has been taken on him," the SKM claimed.

Even after a written recommendation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) working under the supervision of a judge, the Uttar Pradesh government did not file an appeal against the decision of the high court.

"Ultimately, the families of the deceased farmers approached the Supreme Court," it asserted.