Pune court rejects activist Gautam Navlakha’s bail plea in Bhima Koregaon case

Activists Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bhradwaj and Varavara Rao are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for alleged links to Maoists.

Human rights activist Gautam Navlakha at his residence after he was arrested by the Pune police | PTI File photo

Pune: A sessions court here on Tuesday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of activist Gautam Navlakha in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.

The court also refused to extend the protection from arrest given to him by the Supreme Court.

Navlakha had moved the sessions court here on November 5 to seek anticipatory bail.

According to Pune Police, “inflammatory” speeches and “provocative” statements made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held here on December 31, 2017, triggered caste violence at Koregaon Bhima in the district on January 1, 2018.

The police alleged that the conclave was backed by Maoists.

During further probe, it arrested ten Left-leaning activists including Sudha Bhradwaj and Varavara Rao, accusing them of having links with Naxals. Navlakha was named as accused but was not arrested.

After the Bombay High Court dismissed his plea seeking quashing of the case, Navlakha moved the Supreme Court which granted him interim protection from arrest and said he could seek anticipatory bail from the local court.

Navlakha and the other accused are facing a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).