Lakhimpur Kheri case: Ashish Mishra freed on bail

Lakhimpur Kheri (UP): After over four months, Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra was released from jail here on Tuesday evening after fulfilling bail conditions pronounced by the Allahabad High Court. He has been released from jail after completion of bail formalities, Lakhimpur Kheri Jail Superintendent PP Singh told reporters.

Ashish Mishra had been lodged in the jail since October 10 last year in the case related to the killing of four farmers in the violence that had erupted in the course of farmers' agitation in Tikonia in the district. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had last week granted bail to Ashish Mishra in the case. The discharge process started after an order from the district court here reached the Lakhimpur Kheri jail. While a posse of mediapersons and people gathered at the main gate of the jail, Ashish Mishra was taken out of the prison from a gate adjacent to jail superintendent's residence within the campus.

Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra is present in the district but mediapersons, who visited his home in Lakhimpur town, could not meet him. The Allahabad High Court had on Monday corrected its order granting bail to Ashish Mishra. Ashish Mishra had moved the Lucknow bench of the high court on Friday seeking insertion of sections 302 (murder) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that were "inadvertently" not mentioned in the high court order as the jail authorities would not release him due to the omission. "It is a mere typographical error, while the court already considered the bail under these sections too and, as such, the same may be allowed making the addition of these sections in the order," said the application. A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh had on February 10 granted bail to Ashish Mishra in the case.