2018 Bhima Koregaon Violence: Supreme Court grants bail to Gautam Navlakha says, “The trial would take years and years and years for its completion”

Today (May 14, 2024), the Supreme Court (SC) granted bail to Gautam Navlakha, accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence case. The bench comprising Justice SVN Bhatti and Justice MM Sundresh lifted the stay on the order of the Bombay High Court that granted bail to Gautam Navlakha, Indian human rights activist and journalist. The SC bench said, “Prima facie we are of the view that there is no need to extend the interim order of stay. The appellant has been in incarceration for more than four years and charges are yet to be framed…the High Court by detailed order has deemed fit to grant bail…the trial would take years and years and years for its completion. Thus…without going into the respective contention, we are not inclined to extend the stay.” It further asked Gautam Navlakha to cooperate with the trial. Today, the SC was hearing an appeal filed by the NIA (National Investigative Agency) against the Bombay HC order granting bail to Activist and journalist Navlakha.

On April 14, 2020, he was arrested for his alleged involvement in the Bhima Koregaon riots. In November 2022, he was placed under house arrest because of his ill health by the apex court. In December 2023, the Bombay HC granted bail to Navlakha after noting that no material ensures he committed a terrorist Act as mentioned under Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). It said, “no covert or overt terrorist act has been attributed to him under Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.” It added, “at the most, it can be said that Navlakha is a member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) attracting sections 13 (unlawful activities) and 38 (membership of a terrorist organization) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.” Further, the HC stayed the same for 3 weeks after the NIA sought time to challenge it in the SC which the top court further extended. During the proceedings today, the SC granted bail to Gautam Navlakha and directed him to pay an amount of Rs. 20,00,000 towards the expenses for his security during house arrest.