A local court in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday framed charges against 14 people, including Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, for their involvement in the October 3, 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri incident, which led to death of eight people, including four farmers.
The order was passed by Additional District Judge I (ADJ-I) Sunil Kumar Verma, who said that trial in the case will begin on December 16.
Earlier on Monday, the trial court had rejected the discharge application filed by Ashish Mishra and 12 others.
Mishra and 12 others face charges under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 149 (offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 427 (mischief causing damage), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Another accused, Virendra Shukla, has been charged under Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of IPC.
Mishra was arrested on October 9 last year for offence under Sections 302 IPC (murder) and 120B IPC (criminal conspiracy), among others.
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Earlier on October 17, the Supreme Court had directed the government of Uttar Pradesh to file a counter-affidavit on the bail application of Ashish Mishra.
The Bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice B.V. Nagarathna had passed the order on Mishra’s plea, which challenged the July 26 order of the Allahabad High Court, denying him regular bail.
Earlier on September 6, the top court of the country had issued notice to the State of Uttar Pradesh in the matter.
The Bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M.M. Sundresh had passed the order on a petition filed by Mishra, challenging the Allahabad High Court order of July 26, denying bail to Mishra.
Mishra had moved the High Court, after the order by the earlier court was set aside by the Supreme Court in April, 2022.
The Apex Court had then ordered a fresh consideration of his bail plea by the High Court.
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Mishra was directed by the Court to surrender within a week.
The family members of the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri incident had moved the Supreme Court, challenging the bail order of Ashish Mishra.
The incident took place on October 3 last year, when several farmers had staged a protest against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to Lakhimpur Kheri district. An SUV, which was part of Ashish Mishra’s convoy, had allegedly mowed down four protesting farmers at the site.