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Union minister Ajay Mishra, whose son faces a murder case in connection with the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, Friday said his son was "innocent" and will appear before the Uttar Pradesh police Saturday to record his statement.
He said Ashish missed the police summons for Friday 10 am as he was "not well".
"We have full faith in law. My son is innocent. He got a notice on Thursday but he said he was not well. He will appear before the police tomorrow and give his statement and evidence as he is innocent," the Union minister of state for home told reporters at Chowdhury Charan Singh airport here.
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On Opposition relentless attack on him and demand for his resignation, the minister said, "Vipaksh to kuch bhi mangta hai (Opposition can demand anything)."
"This is a BJP government which works in an unbiased manner. Action will be taken against those found guilty," he said.
The minister's son is named in the FIR in the Lakhimpur violence that took place on October 3 in which eight persons including four farmers and a journalist were killed.
Ashish was asked by the police to appear before it at 10 am Friday, but he skipped the summons.
The Uttar Pradesh Police issued a fresh notice to Ashish asking him to appear before it by 11 am on Saturday in connection with the violence that killed eight people, including four farmers, after he missed his 10 am deadline on Friday.
The latest notice, pasted on the wall of Ajay Mishra's house Friday afternoon, warned that legal action will be initiated against him if he fails to appear before the investigators on Saturday.
Deputy Inspector General (Headquarters) Upendra Agarwal who is heading the team probing Sunday's incident waited for him at the police lines but he didn't show up, after which the fresh notice was issued.
As Ashish Mishra did not show up, reports emerged that he may have fled to Nepal.
Asked about it, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said, "If this is true, the Centre should intervene and get the accused arrested from Nepal."
No Action Will Be Taken Under Pressure, Without Evidence: UP CM
There will be no injustice with anyone and no action will be taken under any pressure, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday, amid demands by the opposition to arrest Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son in the Lakhimpur-Kheri violence case.
Describing the violence, which left eight people, including four farmers, dead, as unfortunate, he said the government is going deep into the details of the incident.
"There is no place for violence in democracy, and when the law is giving guarantee to secure everyone, there is no need to take it into one's hands, whosoever they be," the chief minister said while speaking to a news channel.
On allegations that attempts are being made to save the minister's son, Ashish Mishra, in the case, Adityanath said, "There is no such video. We have issued numbers, and if anyone has evidence, they can upload it. All will be crystal clear. There will be no injustice with anyone. No one will be allowed to take the law in his hand but no action will be taken under any pressure."
"We will not arrest anyone on allegations. But yes, if someone is guilty, he will also not be spared irrespective of who he is," he said.
Four of the eight people who died on Sunday were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles carrying BJP workers. Angry farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles.
The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver.
Farmers claimed that Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time.
Asserting that action in Uttar Pradesh is take based on evidence, Adityanath said, "We did this all over the state. Action was taken against whosoever evidence was found."
"Be it a BJP MLA or an opposition MLA and anyone in any post. We never hesitated in taking action. In Lakhimpur incident also, the government is doing the same thing," he said.
On pasting of notice summoning Ashish Mishra and his arrest, the chief minister said, "A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted by the government and a judicial commission has also be formed."
The judicial commission will probe the entire case and officers in the SIT will delve into its details, he said.
"The arrests of those whose videos have come and involvement was confirmed have started," Adityanath said.
While Luvkush and Ashish Pandey have been arrested in the case, police have summoned the minister's son Ashish on Friday but he did not turn up.
