New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has moved a Mumbai court seeking cancellation of bail granted to lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj and Telugu poet-activist Varavara Rao in the Bhima Koregaon violence case, alleging they violated bail conditions by attending an event at the Mumbai Press Club.
Both Bharadwaj and Rao were granted bail by the Supreme Court in December 2021, and in August 2022, with the trial court setting condition that they do not meet any other co-accused.
In its 20-plus page plea submitted Friday to the special court, the NIA said that the duo was present at a gathering on the terrace of Mumbai Press Club on 19 January, along with other co-accused including Arun Ferreira, Dr Anand Teltumbde, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Hany Babu, Vernon Gonsalves, and Gautam Navlakha.
“It is humbly submitted that the accused persons, who are presently enlarged on bail, have wilfully violated the conditions imposed upon them by this Hon’ble Court. The prosecution has credible evidence to show that the present accused Dr. P. Varavara Rao (A-6), along with other co-accused, attended and actively participated in a meeting/gathering held on 19.01.2026 at the terrace of the Mumbai Press Club,” a Superintendent of Police rank officer of the agency
“The said gathering was convened with the intention of propagating the ideology of the proscribed organization CPI (Maoist) and to deliberate upon the future course of action for spreading the ‘Urban Naxal’ movement, which constitutes a direct threat to the integrity, sovereignty, and security of the Nation,” it alleged.
The NIA cited the records of mobile phones to confirm the duo’s presence at the Mumbai Press Club.
The special NIA court has asked Rao and Bharadwaj to submit their counter to the agency’s plea by 22 May. Rao’s counsel Sathyanarayanan Iyer told ThePrint that Rao would be filing their response to challenge the agency’s plea.
The aftermath
On 27 April, the Mumbai Press Club expelled three of its members—Gurbir Singh, Bernard D’Mello, and Shrikant Modak—for facilitating the gathering of the accused persons out on bail on 19 January. Two days later, the NIA sent a team to the club’s office to conduct an inquiry.
“On 29 April, 2026, the NIA conducted an inquiry with the Club’s office bearers and has sought certain documents pertaining to the said incident. The Mumbai Press Club is fully cooperating with the agency and has extended all necessary assistance in accordance with applicable laws and procedures,” the Mumbai Press Club said in a statement that day itself.
The agency attached a copy of the Press Club’s fact-finding committee’s report, which confirmed the organisation of the 19 January gathering held by the accused in the Bhima Koregaon case.
“The attendees included individuals accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, namely Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Anand Teltumbde, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Hany 3. Babu, Vernon Gonsalves, and Gautam Navlakha. CCTV footage and staff statements indicate that Mr. Gurbir Singh played a central ro;e in coordinating the event, including logistical arrangements,” the Mumbai Press Club’s report said.
The NIA’s case stems from two FIRs filed by the Maharashtra Police on the violence at Bhima Koregaon on 1 January, 2018. The police had in June that year arrested activists Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut, and added sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to the original case.
Rao, Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, and Stan Swamy were then arrested in August that year.
On the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the NIA took up the case in January 2020 and went on to arrest Dalit activist Anand Teltumbde, Jesuit priest Stan Swamy, and Delhi University associate professor Hany Babu. Swamy, 84, died in prison in July 2021.
(Edited by Tony Rai)