As Uttar Pradesh police question Ashish Mishra alias Monu bhaiyya, the son of Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni in connection with the death of four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, News18 has learnt that his defence team is preparing a video timeline to prove he was not at the scene at the time of the incident.
The four farmers and a local journalist were killed on October 3 when an SUV belonging to Ashish Mishra ran over a group of farmers returning from a protest against the new farm laws in Lakhimpur’s Tikunia. Two BJP workers and Mishra’s driver were killed in the violence that followed.
Sources told News18 that the defence team is preparing a timeline to prove that Ashish Mishra was at his village Banveerpur and not in Tikunia.
Sources in the defence team said videos have been sourced from mobile phones of locals who were present at a wrestling event in Ajay Mishra’s village. CCTV footage from nearby areas has also been sourced, they added. “Wherever there is a gap in the pictures and videos taken by the official photographer, we are filling it with mobile and CCTV videos to prove that Ashish Mishra was at Banveerpur throughout the event,” a source told News18.
Farmers have alleged that Ashish Mishra was present when the SUV mowed down the farmers, while Mishra and his father have denied the claim.
Police investigation suggests that the crime took place between 2:30pm and 3:30 pm on October 3. Some of the photos and videos seen by News18 show Ashish Mishra on the dais in Banveerpur at 2:02 pm, 3:47pm and 4 pm. However, sources in the defence team claim that mobile phone videos also establish Ashish’s presence in Banveerpur at 3:01pm, 3:08pm and 3:28pm.
“These videos will be presented before the police to establish Ashish Mishra’s innocence,” the source said.
Additional evidence that Ashish Mishra’s lawyers are highlighting is the licensed weapon that Mishra holds. “.315 bore weapon cartridges have been found at the spot. Ashish Mishra owns a licensed pistol which has not been used for years. We are willing to submit it for forensic tests,” the source added.
DIG Upendra Agarwal, who is investigating the case against Mishra, had said that the minister’s son had failed to produce evidence of his whereabouts at the time of the incident. “He is being evasive,” the officer had said before confirming Mishra’s arrest. The defence camp, however, claims that Mishra carried a pen drive with all evidence to prove his innocence.
Sources said video evidence of Ashish Mishra’s alleged absence at the scene and time of the crime has also been shared with top BJP leadership. Opposition parties and farmer groups have been demanding that Ajay Mishra Teni be sacked as MoS Home over the incident and over the delay in honouring police summons for questioning.
Police sources said it has to be ascertained why Mishra’s vehicle and driver were at the scene of crime. News18 has learnt that Ashish Mishra in his defence has claimed that the since the garlands to welcome deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya were in his vehicle, the SUV was taken by BJP worker Sumit Jaiswal. Maurya was to arrive in Lakhimpur Kheri but the protesting farmers refused to let his chopper land at the helipad, following which the route of his arrival was changed to cut through Tikunia.
Sources said Ashish Mishra had also denied any attempt to flee to Nepal as was speculated when he failed to turn up on the first day of questioning. He claimed he was in Delhi to get away from the media glare, but went back and “surrendered” when summons were pasted at his residence.
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