Mishra assassination: High Court sets May 16 for the grandson’s plea and conviction

A appeal by the grandson of former Railways Minister LN Mishra, who was killed in an explosion at Samastipur railway station in Bihar more than 48 years ago, asking for a fair re-investigation has been scheduled for May 16 by the Delhi High Court.

Under the direction of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, a bench listed Vaibhav Mishra’s motion and the prisoners’ appeal against their conviction and life sentence for the murder.

After the Supreme Court allowed the grandson to participate in the last hearing of the prisoners’ appeal on October 13 of last year, the grandson contacted the high court.

“The current application under Section 482 CrPC has been submitted in compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment of October 13, 2023. May 16, 2024, together with the main appeal,” the Bench, which also included Justice Manoj Jain, said in a recent ruling.

On January 2, 1975, the seasoned Congress politician and cabinet minister was severely injured in grenade explosions in Samastipur, while attending the opening of a wide gauge line.

After being moved from Samastipur to Danapur for medical care, on January 3, 1975, he passed away from his wounds.

Vaibhav Mishra had petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that dismissed his request for the CBI to be directed to undertake a “fair investigation” and a “re-investigation” into the case.

Mishra had requested a new investigation, claiming that the previous one was flawed and that the fact that the true offenders were let go was a “travesty of justice.”

In December 2014, a trial court here condemned three “Ananda Margis”—Santoshanand, Sudevanand, and Gopalji—as well as attorney Ranjan Dwivedi to life in jail for the murder of the former minister and two others.

According to the trial court, the terror act was intended to put pressure on the Indira Gandhi administration at the time to free the group’s imprisoned leader.

In 2015, the convicted individuals appealed the trial court’s decision to find them guilty and sentence them, and they were given bail. The high court is now considering the appeal.

A few months prior to the declaration of emergency, on January 2, 1975, two more victims and Mishra’s legal heirs had both been ordered by the trial court to receive payments of Rs 5 lakh from the Bihar government.

It had maintained that the plot to destroy the targets was conceived at a 1973 gathering in a hamlet in the Bhagalpur region of Bihar, which was attended by six “Ananda Margis.”

Accused The court released Ram Nagina Prasad and Ram Rup in January 1981, however Arteshan and Avadhoot passed away in 2004 while the matter was still pending.

Visheshwaranand and Vikram, the other two, were pardoned once they became approvers. — PTI

1975 explosion

The bomb that occurred on January 2, 1975, at the Bihar railway station in Samastipur claimed the life of former Railways Minister LN Mishra.
On January 3, 1975, the seasoned Congressman and senior Cabinet official passed away after suffering deadly injuries.
In December 2014, a trial court convicted three “Ananda Margis,” Santoshanand, Sudevanand, and Gopalji, as well as attorney Ranjan Dwivedi, to life in jail.
According to the court, the terror act was intended to put pressure on the Indira Gandhi administration at the time to free the group’s imprisoned leader.