Lakhimpur Kheri case: SIT files 5,000-page charge sheet

Lucknow, Jan 3: The Special Investigation Team that was formed to probe the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case has filed a charge sheet of about 5,000 pages on Monday. The SIT, in the charge sheet, has named Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni as the prime accused of the case.   Meanwhile, another name has been added to the list of the accused, taking the total number of accused to 14. "The name of one more person, Virendra Shukla, has been added in the charge sheet. He has been charged under Section 201 of IPC," the prosecution lawyer said. Notably, as many as 8 people, including four farmers, a journalist, two BJP workers, and a driver were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident that took place on October 3, 2021. As many as 13 people including Ashish Mishra and former Union Minister Akhilesh Das's nephew Ankit Das were accused in the case and all the 13 people are currently lodged in Lakhimpur Kheri jail. Meanwhile, a local court accepted the SIT’s plea to add two new charges to the case-attempt to murder and voluntarily causing grievous hurt. The court has ordered the addition of the charges, including under sections of the Arms Act. The SIT had said in a report submitted to the court that the four farmers and the journalist were killed in the violence as part of a "pre-planned conspiracy".