{Lakhimpur Kheri violence} Ashish’s lawyer given copies of documents related to charge-sheet
The charge-sheet in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence was filed on January 3, and now the defence counsel has been supplied carbon copies of statements of nearly 200 witnesses, details of physical and scientific evidences and other related documents
Lucknow Three days after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed its 5,000-page charge-sheet in the court of Lakhimpur Kheri chief judicial magistrate (CJM) on Monday (January 3), naming Union minister of state Ajay Mishra Teni’s son, Ashish Mishra, as the main accused in Lakhimpur Kheri violence of October 3, 2021, Ashish’s lawyer was provided with documents related to the charge-sheet.
In October 2021, violence had erupted after four farmers and a journalist were allegedly mowed down by Ashish’s car and others during a farm protest. In the violence that followed, three more people, including two BJP workers and Mishra’s driver, were killed. Significantly, the charge-sheet cites witnesses’ statements to claim Ashish’s presence on the spot during the incident.
Senior prosecution officer (SPO) SP Yadav told the media that under Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), details of the charge-sheet and evidence have to be provided to the defence counsel, to prepare for the trial.
Another prosecution official said the defence counsel had been given carbon copies of statements of nearly 200 witnesses, details of physical and scientific evidences, including copies of forensic reports, call detail records and ballistic reports of firearms of the accused.
The official said the initial complaint had named only Ashish. After investigation, the SIT charge-sheeted 13 accused. Ashish’s relative Virendra Shukla’s name was added to the charge-sheet under Section 201 of the IPC (disappearance of evidence) as the 14th accused.
The court has fixed January 11 as the next date of hearing, and summoned Shukla. The prosecution official added, “The court could order his arrest, if he does not appear on this date.”
12 ACCUSED SEEK BAIL
With the charge-sheet now in court, 12 accused filed their bail applications over Wednesday and Thursday. Five accused — Ankit Das, Latif alias Kale, Shekhar Bharti, Nandan Singh Bisht and Satya Prakash alias Satyam Tripathi — moved their bail applications in the court of the Lakhimpur Kheri CJM on Thursday through their lawyer, Shailendra Singh Gaur.
On Wednesday, seven accused —Sumit Jaiswal, Rinku Rana, Dharmendra Banjara, Ashish Pandey, Lavkush Rana, Ullas alias Mohit Trivedi, and Shishu Pal — had moved the CJM’s court.
SPO Yadav said the court had instructed all applicants to file affidavits stating that no other bail applications were pending neither in the sessions nor in the high court. The bail applications were likely to be heard on Friday, provided the required affidavits were also filed, he added.
Defence counsel Gaur said, “After the addition of Sections of the IPC and of other acts, fresh bail applications are required to be moved in the court of the CJM.”