Bhima-Koregaon violence: Interim relief for activists extended

Mumbai: The Bombay high court Thursday extended till November 21 the relief from arrest granted to civil rights activist Gautam Navlakha, professor Anand Teltumbde, and priest Stan Swamy in a case lodged against them by the Pune police in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence and for their alleged links with Maoists.

A division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre was hearing the petitions filed the trio, seeking to quash the FIR filed against them. The bench posted the matter for hearing on November 21 after noting that the petitions relating to this case were pending before the Supreme Court.

“We will wait and see what order the Supreme Court passes in these matters. Till the next date of hearing, the interim relief shall continue,” the bench said.

The bench had last month directed the police not to take any coercive action against the petitioners or arrest them. While Navlakha was put under house arrest in the case, Teltumbde and Swamy were not arrested.

Apart from Navlakha, the police on August 28 also arrested activists Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Sudha Bharadwaj for their alleged links with Maoists in the aftermath of the violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district on January 1.