Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh police will file for an extension in the custody of Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son, Ashish Mishra in the Lakhimpur violence case where eight people were killed as a car mowed on them.
The local court in Lakhimpur Kheri will hear the matter today on whether Ashish Misra should be sent to police custody or not. Ashish Misra was arrested on Saturday, after 12 hours of interrogation by the Crime Branch of Uttar Pradesh. During the interrogation, his mobile was also seized for investigation.
“After a long interrogation, we found that he (Ashish Mishra) is not cooperating, and does not want to tell many things in the investigation. That’s why we are arresting him. He will be produced before the court now,” DIG Upendra Agrawal, chairman of the supervision committee in the Lakhimpur Kheri case said in Saharanpur.
Ashish will be taken to district hospital where his medical examination will be conducted and will be produced in court. It is learnt from the sources that Ashish’s lawyer produced video evidence and affidavit of witnesses who place Ashish at a wrestling event when a fleet of three cars went on rampage and mowed down farmers in Tikunia on 3 October.
The big development has come a day after the Supreme Court of India expressed its dissatisfaction with the police action taken against the accused in the incident which has drawn massive outrage.
Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu was protesting for justice to be given to farmers by arresting Ashish Mishra. As Ashish Mishra on Saturday reached Lakhimpur Crime Branch, Sidhu stopped protesting.
Ashish Mishra arrived at Lakhimpur Crime Branch for his summon on Saturday at 11 AM. On Friday when he didn’t showed up for his summon so police issued second notice against him to appear before 11 AM in connection with October 3 incidence.
There is a tight security at the location and the internet is freezed. Facing reporters at Lucknow airport, the junior home minister said his son Ashish Mishra could not appear before police as he was not well but will record his statement on Saturday.
His remarks came after a police team headed by Deputy Inspector General (Headquarters) Upendra Agarwal waited hours at the Lakhimpur police lines for Ashish Mishra, who had been asked to appear there at 10 am. Around 2pm media learnt that Ashish Mishra has not turned up and second notice has been issued with Saturday’s deadline.
Mishra was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit on Sunday. Two BJP workers and their driver were then allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A local journalist also died in the incident, which has put the BJP government on the back foot in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday criticised the Centre for its “apathy” towards the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which was triggered on Sunday after eight people were killed when an SUV ran over the people.
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