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Union minister's son Ashish Mishra gets bail in Lakhimpur violence case

NEW DELHI: Ashish Mishra, the son of the union minister of state of home affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, who is accused in the Lakhimpur violence incident on October 3, when he was allegedly driving the SUV that ran over four farmers and a journalist at Lakhimpur Kheri during a protest march has secured bail and will walk of jail shortly. 

The Lucknow bench of Justice Rajeev Singh which had reserved its order on January 18 on Mishra's plea after concluding the hearing through video-conferencing today granted bail to him. 

While Mishra's lawyers led by Awdesh Singh had argued before the court that his client was innocent as there was no conclusive evidence of him being in the vehicle at the time of the incident or inciting the driver of the SUV to run over the farmers, the additional advocate General V K Shahi made his point that Mishra was in the car that mowed down the farmers.

Even as Teni’s son walks out on bail, the bail application of three of five arrested from the farmer’s side in the second case was rejected by the district judge in Lakhimpur Kheri.

As soon as the news of the bail became public during the ongoing first phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections it elicited very sharp reactions from several quarters. 

Pawan Kashyap, brother of slain journalist Raman Kashyap, said that the arguments of lawyers from their side was not heard. Their appeal for a fresh hearing was also not accepted. "Bail is not an acquittal, and although we are sad, we will continue to fight. Just because he has got bail does not mean the case has ended,” Kashyap said.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was among the first political figure to react, he said that the government should have ensured strict punishment to the accused, but the government failed. "The world has witnessed the incident that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri. Everyone is well aware of the fact that BJP was responsible for the death of the farmers,” Yadav said.

Mahua Moitra of the Trinamool Congress tweeted, "3 basic principles of bail are that accused should NOT be able to,1. Intimidate witnesses, 2. Destroy evidence. 3. Be flight risk. How does Ashish Mishra satisfy bail condition 1? Sitting minister’s son, arrested only after 3 days, in election season?"

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief OP Rajbhar said that while Teni's son was given bail but farmers who died on the Ghazipur border & Lakhimpur have not got justice. "Wherever BJP has a personal interest, that person gets bail & when their interest isn't fulfilled there's no bail," he said.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has faced flak for not sacking the junior minister, it has maintained that he cannot be punished for his son's deeds. 

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