Published 16:35 IST, May 28th 2020
Bhima Koregaon case: Delhi HC pulls up NIA for 'frantic transfer' of Navlakha to Mumbai
Delhi High Court on Thursday, observed that the NIA had shown 'frantic hurry' in transferring the activist Gautam Navlakha from Delhi to Mumbai, before bail
Pulling up the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Delhi High Court on Thursday, observed that the NIA had shown 'frantic hurry' in transferring the activist Gautam Navlakha from Delhi to Mumbai, while his bail hearing was pending. On Tuesday, Navlakha was to a Mumbai jail by the NIA- a day before his plea hearing was scheduled in the Delhi High Court in connection to the Bhima Koregaon case. He had surrendered to the NIA on April 14 in Delhi and was sent to judicial custody till May 23.
Delhi HC: 'Frantic hurry in transferring Navlakha'
Navlakha moves Delhi HC
On May 22, Navlakha moved Delhi High Court seeking interim bail on medical grounds stating that he is at a high risk of encountering the COVID-19 virus due to his underlying health issues which could lead to comorbidity. Activists Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde surrendered to NIA authorities on April 14 after the Supreme Court granted them a week's time to surrender post-expiry of their three-week bail period. Teltumbde's interim bail plea has already been rejected by an NIA court.
What is the Elgar Parishad case?
Pune police booked activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale, P Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde for allegedly inciting the Bhima Koregaon violence through their speech at the Elgar Parishad meeting on December 31, 2017, under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). On the following day - January 1, 2018, violence had erupted at Koregaon-Bhima village in Pune district where supporters had gathered in the village to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. The ensuing violence had resulted in the death of one person and several others had been injured - 152 have been arrested.
The above-mentioned activists have been charged with 'conspiracy to assassinate PM Narendra Modi', 'overthrow the government', 'waging war against the Government of India'. They are also being probed for links with the banned CPI (Maoists) party. If convicted under 'waging war against India', all activists face the death sentence or imprisonment for life. Once the new Maha Vikas Aghadi government came into power, it mulled to review the case, leading to the NIA taking over the case on January 24. Within 10 days - on February 3, NIA registered an FIR in the Elgar Parishad case charging 11 people under the provisions of the anti-terror law UAPA and several IPC sections. All accused are currently in jail.
Updated 16:35 IST, May 28th 2020