SC: ‘Trial in Lakhimpur violence case will take five years to conclude’

The Supreme Court noted on Wednesday that the trial in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case against accused Ashish Mishra, according to a report, will take five years to conclude.
The bench of justices Surya Kant and V. Ramasubramanian made the observations while hearing the plea filed by Ashish Mishra, challenging the Allahabad High Court order that denied him bail in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
The report of Additional Sessions Judge Lakhimpur Kheri said it will take 5 years for the trial to conclude as there are 208 witnesses in the case, the bench noted.
The report was filed in pursuance of the direction issued by the Supreme Court to the Additional Sessions Judge at Lakhimpur Kheri to apprise the top court how much time the trial of the Lakhimpur violence case is likely to take without compromising with other pending matters. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government apprised the court that charges have been filed against the accused in the case.
The court sought to know if the co-accused in the case were in custody.
Due to the unavailability of the complainant’s counsel in the matter, the court on Wednesday adjourned the matter for 19 January and asked the UP government to inform it whether the accused in the matter are still in custody.
The complainant’s counsel, Prashant Bhushan, urged the court to hold the trial on a day-to-day basis and deal with the material witnesses first.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for Mishra in the matter.
Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, moved the Supreme Court, challenging the Allahabad High Court, which denied bail to him in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
On 26 July 2022 the Allahabad High Court denied bail to Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
The bail was rejected by the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.
The said order is being challenged in the Supreme Court by Ashish Mishra via advocate on record T. Mahipal.
Four farmers died in the Lakhimpur case, and the accused and the accused’s car were present there.