The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Thursday granted bail to Ashis Mishra, Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son who is accused of running over and killing four farmers and a journalist in Lakhimpur Kheri.

The bench had reserved its order on Ashis’s bail plea on January 18 after concluding the hearing through videoconferencing. On Thursday, Justice Rajeev Singh granted bail.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the collective leadership which spearheaded the farmers’ agitation, later said the government should immediately file an appeal against the grant of bail.

The SKM iterated its appeal to the people of Uttar Pradesh to punish the BJP by voting against it. The state began voting on Thursday.

The first round of the Assembly elections is expected to be impacted by the yearlong farm protests as the constituencies involved are located in the area of influence of the Bharatiya Kisan Union of Rakesh Tikait.

The SKM described the grant of bail to Ashis as disappointing, given the “possibility of a politically powerful accused influencing the witnesses”.

“The police have been negligent in investigating this case and apprehending the accused, and have tried to dilute the case,” the Morcha said. The government had opposed the bail in court.

According to the SKM, the complicity of the police and the government is evident from the fact that Section 302 of the IPC has not been invoked against Ashis while the farmers who retaliated have been booked under this provision.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said: “The Prime Minister didn’t suspend the minister whose son was involved in the massacre. Today, he (Ashis) got bail. He will roam free now.”