While reducing Mishra’s bail restrictions, the Court stated that he cannot address the media or attend any public meetings.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday reduced Ashish Misra’s bail conditions, allowing him to travel to Delhi to care for his ailing mother and seek treatment for his daughter [Ashish Mishra alias Monu versus State of Uttar Pradesh].
However, a panel of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta emphasised that Mishra must refrain from speaking to the media or holding any public meetings during this time.
The judgement was issued after Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave, who was representing Mishra, stated that his mother was admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and that his daughter required surgery.
The bench then granted Mishra’s request to travel to and dwell in Delhi.
Ashish Mishra is accused of murdering farmers who gathered in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, in 2021 to protest the now-rescinded farm regulations. On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed when a car owned by and allegedly operated by Mishra mowed down protesting farmers, among others.
The Supreme Court granted Mishra temporary bail for 8 weeks in the case in January, which has subsequently been extended based on progress reports from the trial judge.
Mishra has already been forbidden from visiting Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. With today’s order, the same was relaxed.
The Supreme Court rejected the demand for an in-camera trial in the case in February.
Following Mishra’s arrest, the Uttar Pradesh Police’s special investigation team (SIT) filed a 5,000-page charge-sheet in a local court, citing Mishra as the primary offender.
In November of that year, a trial court denied his bail application, prompting Mishra to petition the High Court.
On February 10, 2022, the High Court granted bail to Mishra, citing that there is a possibility that the driver of the car 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 filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, requesting that his bail be revoked. Surprisingly, the state of Uttar Pradesh did not challenge the bail ruling.
In April 2022, the Supreme Court revoked Mishra’s bail and sent the case to the High Court for further consideration.
On July 26, last year, the High Court denied Mishra bail, prompting him to file an appeal with the Supreme Court, which granted him release.
Meanwhile, in December 2022, a trial court in Uttar Pradesh filed murder charges against Mishra.
The charges were filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (offense committed in prosecution of common object), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 427 (mischief causing damage), and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
