Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Ashish Mishra sent to judicial custody, court to hear matter on October 11

Ashish Mishra was arrested on Saturday night in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

File Photo (ANI)

New Delhi: Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, who was arrested on Saturday (October 9) night in connection with Lakhimpur Kheri violence, has been sent to judicial custody for now. 

Ashish’s lawyer Avdesh Kumar Singh informed that Mishra was produced before the Judicial Magistrate after his arrest by a nine-member SIT headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Upendra Agarwal. 

A local court will hear the matter on Monday (October 11) on whether to send Ashish Mishra to police custody or not, the lawyer said. 

"He (Ashish Mishra) will be in judicial custody for the time being. He was produced before the Judicial Magistrate and the police had demanded three-day custody, to which we objected. The matter will be heard on October 11 and it will be decided whether Mishra will be sent to police custody," ANI quoted Avdesh Kumar Singh as saying. Mishra was then sent to the district jail. 

After 12 hours of interrogation by the Crime Branch of Uttar Pradesh Police, Mishra was arrested on Saturday night. DIG and Monitoring Committee Chairman Upendra Agarwal said Ashish was arrested as he was “not cooperating during the interrogation”. 

"Matter to be heard on Monday- October 11 over whether he should be sent to police custody or not. For the time being, he will be in judicial custody," said Avdesh Kumar, Ashish Mishra's lawyer pic.twitter.com/a2gaH4QsPb — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 9, 2021

Two of the seven people mentioned in the FIR were arrested on Thursday. They have been identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey. 

In the violence that erupted during a farmers’ protest in Uttar Pradesh on October 3, eight people lost their lives, including four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. Among the other four, two who died were present in the cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who came to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, while one was a local journalist and one was a driver. 

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and knocked down farmers with his SUV. 

The farmers’ body further alleged that he attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him. However, Ashish Mishra has denied SKM's allegations, claiming he was not present at the spot where the incident took place. 

(With agency inputs)