Activist Varavara Rao Granted Bail In Bhima-Koregaon Case
The Supreme Court of India granted bail to poet and activist P Varavara Rao in the Bhima-Koregaon case on Wednesday.
Justice U U Lait, while granting Rao bail on medical grounds, said that he shall not misuse the liberty in any manner.
Rao, who had challenged the Bombay High Court’s April 13 order which had rejected his permanent bail plea on medical grounds, is currently out on interim bail.
It may be noted that the case is related to alleged inciteful speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017.
Police claimed that his speech triggered violence near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of western Maharashtra city the next day.
Pune Police also said that the conclave was organised by people with alleged links to Maoists. The investigation was later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Rao had been taken into custody on August 28, 2018 from his residence in Hyderabad and is under trial in the case. Pune Police had filed a complaint on January 8, that year, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
