Lakhimpur Kheri violence case: Ashish Mishra denied bail, two more arrested

Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, was denied bail by a court here on Wednesday in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Senior prosecution officer (SPO) SP Yadav told PTI that Chief Judicial Magistrate Chinta Ram rejected the bail applications of Ashish Mishra and his alleged accomplice Ashish Pandey. Ashish Mishra, who was arrested on October 9 by the special investigation team after 12 hours of questioning, had been sent to three days in police custody from Tuesday. The court also remanded Shekhar Bharti, arrested on Tuesday, in police custody for three days. Police have so far arrested four people in connection with the case – Ashish Mishra, Luvkush, Ashish Pandey and Bharti. One Ankit Das, who is said to be a close friend of Ashish Mishra, appeared before the SIT at the crime branch office in Lakhimpur earlier in the day. The investigators had summoned Das for questioning in connection with the October 3 violence that had left eight people, including four farmers, dead. Das is the nephew of former minister Akhilesh Das and the black SUV which allegedly knocked down the four farmers is said to be owned by him. At around 11 AM, Das along with a team of lawyers arrived at the crime branch office in the reserved police lines area, the police said. On Tuesday, Das and one other identified as Latif had moved an application for surrender before the chief judicial magistrate.