The application by the prime accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri case, Ashish Mishra for an in-camera hearing in the trial against him has been rejected by the Supreme Court on Monday.
A bench consisting Justice Surya Kant and Justice JK Maheshwari have dismissed the application, while instructing him to appear in the trial in person.
The Apex Court had granted Ashish Mishra an interim bail for 8 weeks , the previous month only. The bench had also said that he cannot stay in Uttar Pradesh or Delhi after his release.
Mishra, who is also the son of Union Home Minister of State Ajay Mishra, stands accused for his alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case of 2021 that led to death of eight people, including four farmers
On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during violence which during protest against the new farm laws then.
The protestors had obstructed Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya visit to the area where he was suppose to attend an event
During this all, a vehicle which belonged to Ashish Mishra and is said to be allegedly driven by Mishra mowed down protesting farmers, among others.
Post the arrest of Ashish Mishra, the special investigation team (SIT)of UP police filed a 5,000-page charge-sheet before a local court, calling Mishra prime accused in the case.
A trial court where Mishra has applied had rejected his application for bail, prompting Mishra to move the High Court.
The High Court had granted bail to Mishra on February 10, 2022, on the basis of a possibility that the driver of the vehicle that mowed down the protesting farmers sped up the vehicle to save himself.
Soon after the bail was granted to Mishra in the case, family members of the deceased approached the Supreme Court in appeal, seeking cancellation of the bail.
In April 2022, the bail of Ashish Mishra was cancelled by the Apex Court and remanded the matter to the High Court for fresh consideration.
The High Court also denied the bail to Mishra last year on July 26, prompting the present appeal before the Supreme Court.
The murder charges were framed against Mishra in December 2022 by the trial court.
The charges were framed 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 Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.