Lakhimpur-Kheri violence: SC dissolves SIT, relieves retired HC judge
Sep 18, 2023
New Delhi [India], September 18 : The Supreme Court on Monday dissolved the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and relieved retired High Court judge Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain from the duty of monitoring the SIT probing into the Lakhimpur-Kheri violence matter.
A bench of justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta order came while hearing the matter pertaining to the Lakhimpur Kheri violence matter.
The court noted that the trial is also going on in both cases and nothing has left for the SIT to be done in the matters.
The Court however clarified that it can pass an appropriate order for reconstituting the SIT if required in future.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had appointed a committee headed by retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Rakesh Kumar Jain to monitor the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Presently, Ashish Mishra, who is accused in the case is out on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court.
On July 26, 2022, the Allahabad High Court denied bail to Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The bail was rejected by the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.
The said order is challenged by Ashish Mishra in the Supreme Court filed through advocate on record T Mahipal. Mishra is facing a case of murder for the incident that took place on October 3, 2021, in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri.
Mishra allegedly ran over the farmers who were protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws. He was arrested on October 9 and granted bail in February 2022.
Mishra, again moved to the High Court as the Court’s earlier order was set aside by the Supreme Court in April 2022 and had ordered fresh consideration of his bail plea.
The top court earlier had set aside the Allahabad High Court order dated February 10, 2022, and remitted the matter back to the High Court. The top court had said that the order of the Allahabad High Court cannot be sustained and had to be set aside and the bail bonds of the respondent/accused are cancelled. The Court had directed Ashish Mishra to surrender within a week.
Family members of the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident moved the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court order, which granted bail to Ashish Mishra. The top court cancelled the bail plea of Mishra.
