The Allahabad High Court order granting bail to Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son in farmers' killing case in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri raises possibility of evidence tampering and threats to witnesses, submitted a plea challenging the bail order in the Supreme Court.
"The Allahabad High Court order which granted bail relies on reasoning based on presumption and guess work," the petitioners said.
"The accused roaming scot free raises possibility of evidence tampering and threats to witnesses, farmers and victims' families," said the petitioners, demanding cancellation of Ashish Mishra's bail.
The petitioners, advocates Shiv Kumar Tripathi and CS Panda, also sought that the special investigation team file a status report in the case before the top court immediately.
The plea further demanded that the top court also issue directions to the UP government and the Centre to provide compensation to victims' families.
Ashish Mishra, the main accused in the killing of protesting farmers in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri last year, was released from jail on Tuesday. He was granted bail last week by the Allahabad High Court, after lower courts rejected requests.
His release comes as BJP-ruled UP votes in a seven-phase Assembly election. Two phases are over. The third is on Sunday. Lakhimpur votes in the fourth phase - on February 23.
On October 3, Ashish Mishra was allegedly driving a Mahindra Thar that ran over four farmers and a journalist at Lakhimpur Kheri during a protest march against three (since scrapped) farm laws.
He was arrested only days later - after the Supreme Court intervened; the court ordered an inquiry after the police and administration were accused of going slow on the investigation.
