Supreme Court gives Varavara bail but says he can’t leave Mumbai | India News
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted regular bail to Telugu poet Varavara Rao on medical grounds in the Bhima-Koregaon case, in which he is being prosecuted for allegedly indulging in anti-national activities.
A bench of Justices UU Lalit, Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanhsu Dhulia allowed the plea of Rao who approached the apex court against the Bombay HC order of granting him interim bail for only six months for medical treatment.
The order preceded the lengthy hearing during which NIA said Rao be not granted any relief and cited that the SC turned down the bail plea of self-styled godman Asaram who was also above 80-years old and suffering from various ailments. Rao, on the other hand, contended that NIA was not interested in trial and the agency wanted him to die in jail like Father Stan Swamy.
Senior advocate Anand Groverappearing for Rao, contended that it will take over 10 years to complete the trial as not even charges have been framed in the case but his plea was countered by additional solicitor heneral SV Raju who submitted that trial would be wrapped up in one-and-half years.
The bench, after hearing both sides, said that it was a fit case for grant of bail considering the age of the accused and delay in trial. It, however, turned down Rao’s plea that he should be allowed to go to his home state Telangana. The court directed that he will remain in Mumbai and will not try to get in touch with any of the witnesses in the case.
Rao, 83, was granted interim bail for six months in February 2021 and the court kept it extended and he is still out on bail. As he was not granted regular bail by the high court, he approached the apex court. The case against him relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which Pune police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.
A bench of Justices UU Lalit, Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanhsu Dhulia allowed the plea of Rao who approached the apex court against the Bombay HC order of granting him interim bail for only six months for medical treatment.
The order preceded the lengthy hearing during which NIA said Rao be not granted any relief and cited that the SC turned down the bail plea of self-styled godman Asaram who was also above 80-years old and suffering from various ailments. Rao, on the other hand, contended that NIA was not interested in trial and the agency wanted him to die in jail like Father Stan Swamy.
Senior advocate Anand Groverappearing for Rao, contended that it will take over 10 years to complete the trial as not even charges have been framed in the case but his plea was countered by additional solicitor heneral SV Raju who submitted that trial would be wrapped up in one-and-half years.
The bench, after hearing both sides, said that it was a fit case for grant of bail considering the age of the accused and delay in trial. It, however, turned down Rao’s plea that he should be allowed to go to his home state Telangana. The court directed that he will remain in Mumbai and will not try to get in touch with any of the witnesses in the case.
Rao, 83, was granted interim bail for six months in February 2021 and the court kept it extended and he is still out on bail. As he was not granted regular bail by the high court, he approached the apex court. The case against him relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which Pune police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.
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