Gautam Navlakha's interim protection from arrest extended by SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended activist Gautam Navlakha’s interim protection from arrest by four more weeks in Bhima Koregaon case. However, a bench of justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta asked Navlakha to approach the concerned court to seek pre-arrest bail in the case. The Maharashtra government had submitted its report on the alleged involvement of Navlakha in the case in the Supreme Court on Monday. The Court also asked the Maharashtra government why was Navlakha not questioned. 

READ: Gautam Navlakha gets interim protection by SC from arrest

Gautam Navlakha gets interim relief

In a significant development in the Bhima Koregaon case, the Supreme Court provided interim protection from arrest to accused Gautam Navlakha. Hearing Navlaka's plea, the apex court has now provided relief to Navlakha from arrest till October 15. The Supreme Court has also asked the Maharashtra government to present all the evidence against Navlakaha.

READ: Maharashtra Govt files caveat plea in SC against Gautam Navlakha

Maharashtra government's caveat plea

Earlier, the government of Maharashtra had filed a caveat plea in the Supreme Court. The plea has been filed against Navlakha's appeal to quash Pune Police's FIR against him in the Bhima Koregaon case.  A caveat means that the party urges the court to not pass any order without hearing it. Navlakha along with Sudha Bhardwaj, Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, and Arun Ferreira are accused in the Bhima Koregoan case and for alleged links with the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist.

READ: Bhima Koregaon: 5th judge recuses from hearing Gautam Navlakha's plea

Bombay HC dismissed Gautam Navlakha's petition

Bombay HC had also dismissed the petition filed by Gautam Navlakha seeking to quash the FIR lodged against him by the Pune police in January 2018, after the Elgar Parishad held on December 31, 2017. The Elgar Parishad had allegedly triggered violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district the next day. The police had also alleged that Gautam Navlakha and others accused in the case had Maoist links and were working towards overthrowing the government. "The offence is not limited to Koregaon-Bhima violence. There are many more facets to it. Hence, we feel investigation is required," the court had said.

(with inputs from PTI)

READ: War and Peace' controversy: HC judge misquoted in Bhima-Koregaon case