The Supreme Court has permitted Ashish Mishra, an accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, to visit his hometown in Lucknow district to celebrate Diwali with his family, subject to the conditions imposed in its order dated March 24, 2025.

During the hearing, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasised the need to ensure that the trial proceeds without prolonged delay. The Bench stressed that the prosecution must ensure the presence of witnesses and facilitate the timely completion of the trial, without rushing through cross-examination or leaving material evidence unrecorded.

Sr Adv Siddharth Dave informed the Court that a Special Public Prosecutor had been appointed and that 90 of the 131 prosecution witnesses had been examined. Advocate Prashant Bhushan expressed satisfaction with the developments.

The hearing also addressed the transfer of the trial judge, who was hearing the case concerning the violence in which eight people were killed during a farmers’ protest. Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the Allahabad High Court, clarified that the judge’s transfer was routine and should not be linked to the allegations concerning his conduct. The Court was also informed that the report concerning the judge had been placed before the High Court’s administrative committee for further action pursuant to the Supreme Court’s earlier directions.

The matter follows the Supreme Court’s October 5 direction that a vigilance report concerning the trial judge be placed before the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court for an appropriate decision.