Efforts to protect witnesses, families of Lakhimpur Kheri victims taken: UP tells SC

New Delhi, March 29: Uttar Pradesh Government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it has taken all efforts to protect the witnesses and families of victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The state government further stated that all the witnesses are regularly contacted by the police for appraisal of their security conditions. The submission of the UP government came in an affidavit as a response to the plea seeking to cancel the bail of Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni. The state government told the apex court that it had opposed Ashish Mishra's bail application in the Allahabad High Court, and the petition's claim that the state did not fully oppose the accused's bail application is completely untrue. "That at the very outset, the Answering Respondent (Uttar Pradesh) takes exception to the averments in the SLP to the effect that State did not effectively oppose the Bail Application of the Accused Respondent No 1 (Ashish Mishra). The same is completely untrue, as is also borne out from a perusal of the Impugned Order itself...." the affidavit read. Also Read | Kerala: ‘Non-Hindu’ artist barred from performing in temple; Shashi Tharoor reacts Earlier, it was alleged that one witness was attacked by some miscreants and attackers threatened the witness that Mishra is out on bail and the ruling party had also won the election and they would see to him. Lakhimpur Kheri case witness Diljot Singh was hurt in a “sudden altercation” after miscreants threw Holi colours on him. Attackers also threatened the witness and referred to the BJP’s win in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. “Some people were playing with Holi gulal near a school and threw it on Diljot Singh as well. He objected and an altercation broke out. One of the miscreants hit him with a belt and others kicked and punched him. None of the miscreants mentioned the ruling party winning the Assembly elections,” the affidavit submitted by the UP government read. As per the affidavit, all the witnesses are regularly contacted by the police for appraisal of their security conditions. "The witnesses were interviewed telephonically most recently on March 20 2022 and expressed satisfaction with the security provided to them and were informed that if they required any help concerning their security, they should immediately contact the Superintendent of Police of their respective districts and would receive prompt assistance," the state government assured in the affidavit. The Supreme Court had previously issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and others in response to a petition seeking to cancel Ashish Mishra's bail. At the last hearing, the petitioner's lawyer, Prashant Bhushan, stated that one of the key protected witnesses was brutally attacked just days after Ashish Mishra was granted bail. Family members of the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident have petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn an Allahabad High Court ruling granting Ashish Mishra bail. Ashish Mishra was released from jail in February after the Allahabad High Court granted him bail. Also Read | Delhi Police oppose Sushil Kumar's bail, say witnesses 'terrified' -PTC News