On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against the now revoked farm laws. The protestors had impeded the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who planned to attend an event in the area.
A vehicle belonging to and allegedly being driven by Mishra mowed down protesting farmers, among others.
After he was arrested, the Uttar Pradesh Police’s special investigation team (SIT) filed a 5,000-page charge-sheet before a local court, naming Mishra prime accused in the case. In November that year, a trial court had rejected his application for bail, prompting Mishra to move the High Court.
The High Court had first granted bail to Mishra on February 10, 2022, stating that there might have been a possibility that the driver of the vehicle that mowed down the protesting farmers sped up the vehicle to save himself.
After the High Court granted bail to Mishra in the case, family members of the deceased had approached the Supreme Court in appeal, seeking cancellation of the bail. Oddly, the State of Uttar Pradesh did not file an appeal against the bail order.
In April 2022, the apex court had cancelled the bail granted to Mishra by the High Court and remanded the matter to the High Court for fresh consideration. On July 26 last year, the High Court denied Mishra bail, prompting the present appeal before the Supreme Court.
The top court had sought the response of the UP government in the matter in September last year. The bench in the previous hearing had asked how long the accused can be kept in jail.
Source: Barandbench
