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Raising the bar from behind bars: Mahesh Raut and Sagar Gorkhe pass law entrance test

Raising the bar from behind bars: Mahesh Raut and Sagar Gorkhe pass law entrance test

Maharashtra: Raising the bar from behind bars

08/05/2024

Midday.com / by Eshan Kalyanikar

Bhima-Koregaon accused Mahesh Raut and Sagar Gorkhe clear law exam even as their own controversial case drags on
Two of the 16 activists charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the Bhima-Koregaon case cleared their Common Entrance Test (CET) for law college admission while in jail, clinging to hope for bail and an eventual declaration of innocence by the court. For the past six years, Mahesh Raut and Sagar Gorkhe, both 36, have spent their days in Taloja jail surrounded by undertrials. Their families and friends said this experience motivated them to become lawyers, providing legal aid to those in need.
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Bhima Koregaon case: Two prisoners pass law entrance test

08/05/2024

Hindustan Times / by Sabah Virani

Mahesh Raut and Sagar Gorkhe hold master’s degrees from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and the Yashawantrao Chavhan Maharashtra Open University
With only the aid of old books from the Taloja Central Prison’s library, Mahesh Raut, arrested in connection with the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence case, scored 99.79% in the state common entrance test (CET) for law. Sagar Gorkhe, a fellow accused, also passed the test, scoring 57.7%. The results were declared on May 3.
Read more

Also read:
▪ Mahesh Raut’s bail gets entangled in tagging of similar matters (The Leaflet / Jan 2024)
▪ What is Kabir Kala Manch, the cultural group accused of being a Maoist front? (The Indian Express / Jan 2024)
▪ Bhima Koregaon Case: Mahesh Raut, youngest accused, granted bail by the Bombay HC! (SabrangIndia / Sep 2023)

The Supreme Court again adjourns Gautam Navlakha’s hearing

The Supreme Court again adjourns Gautam Navlakha’s hearing

Gautam Navlakha

by Bar and Bench / @barandbench (May 7, 2024):

Supreme Court to continue hearing case regarding house arrest terms of activist Gautam Navlakha, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case.
NIA’s appeal against Bombay HC order granting him regular bail in the matter to also be heard.

Thread by Live Law / @LiveLawIndia (May 7, 2024):

#SupremeCourt to hear Bhima Koregaon-accused Gautam Navlakha’s plea for shifting his house arrest location in Mumbai.
Navlakha, a journalist and activist, was arrested on April 14, 2020.
Owing to his ill health, the Supreme Court placed him under house arrest in November 2022.
Counsel: Mr. Raju is arguing part heard in Court No. 2. It Might take a day.
Senior Advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan: That Court is sitting until 1 PM…He is 72 years old…this is not fair; last time, I did not say anything. We cannot continue like this.
Counsel: ASG is on legs in some other courts.
Court: He (ASG) has not shown an appearance till now. Every time matter goes on pass over.
However, Counsel requests short accommodation.
The court suggested the matter to be listed next week.
After citing practical difficulties to be listed on miscellaneous working days, the court listed the matter as Tuesday (next week).
On the request of Sr. Adv. Nitya Ramakrishnan, the court provided the last opportunity of hearing to ASG appearing for NIA.

Also read:
▪ SC defers NIA appeal against Bombay HC’s bail to Gautam Navlakha to May 7 (The New Indian Express / April 30, 2024)

Court reserves order on Elgar Parishad case accused Surendra Gadling’s bail plea

Court reserves order on Elgar Parishad case accused Surendra Gadling’s bail plea

Surendra Gadling

India Today / by Vidya

Elgar Parishad case accused Surendra Gadling filed an appeal challenging a June 28, 2022 order of the special NIA court, that refused to grant default bail to him.
The Bombay High Court on Friday, reserved its order on the default bail petition of accused Surendra Gadling in the 2018 Elgar Parishad case.
Read more

by Bar and Bench / @barandbench (May 3, 2024):
Bombay High Court reserves plea filed by Surendra Gadling and Mahesh Raut, accused in Bhima Koregaon case, seeking default bail in the case.

Also read:
▪ NIA special court rejects default bail application of five accused (The Leaflet / June 2022)
▪ Bombay HC grants default bail to Sudha Bharadwaj, but declines the same to eight other accused (The Leaflet / Dec 2021)

Hany Babu withdraws bail plea in Supreme Court; says will approach Bombay High Court afresh

Hany Babu withdraws bail plea in Supreme Court; says will approach Bombay High Court afresh

Hany Babu

Ex-DU prof Hany Babu withdraws bail plea in Supreme Court

03/05/2024

Hindustan Times / by Abraham Thomas

A bench of justices allowed the petition to be withdrawn as “not pressed” while recording the statement of Babu’s lawyer Payoshi Roy that he would like to pursue the matter before the high court
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed former Delhi University (DU) professor Hany Babu, who is an accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case, to withdraw his bail plea citing “change of circumstance” claiming that he would be moving the Bombay high court which had granted bail to five co-accused.
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Professor Hany Babu withdraws bail plea from Supreme Court

03/05/2024

Bar & Bench / by Abhimanyu Hazarika

A Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal was slated to hear the matter today when Babu’s counsel informed the Court that the bail plea was being withdrawn.
Professor Hany Babu, an accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence case, withdrew his bail plea from the Supreme Court today citing a change in circumstances [Hany Babu vs National Investigation Agency and anr].
Read more

Also read:
▪ Branded Maoist, ex-political prisoners narrate how they were ‘wrongfully’ incarcerated (Counterview.net / March 2024)
▪ SC notice to Maharashtra, NIA on bail plea of DU professor Hany Babu (The Hindu / Jan 2024)
▪ Bombay HC rejects Hany Babu’s bail plea: ‘Prime facie conspired and abetted terrorist act’ (The Indian Express / Sep 2022)
▪ No bail; ‘prima facie evidence Hany Babu part of Maoist outfit’: court (The Indian Express / Feb 2022)

Info warfare, ‘Kashmir cell’, Maoists, Akhlaq killing find mention in Delhi Police’s NewsClick chargesheet

Info warfare, ‘Kashmir cell’, Maoists, Akhlaq killing find mention in Delhi Police’s NewsClick chargesheet

Info warfare, ‘Kashmir cell’, Maoists, Akhlaq killing find mention in Delhi Police’s NewsClick chargesheet

02/05/2024

The Print / by Bismee Taskin

In the “first” manifestations of the “conspiracy” in email trails between Shanghai-based American tech mogul Neville Roy Singham and NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, it has been found that “special emphasis” was laid on “an alternative vision”, “allying with separatists” and “creating a media unit”, according to the Delhi Police chargesheet in the Newsclick case.
The names of civil right activists Harsh Mander, Gautam Navlakha and Teesta Setalvad as well as those of members of the Chinese Communist Party, the Students’ Federation of India and a shareholder of NewsClick are mentioned in the document.
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‘Funded LeT & Maoists, distributed cash among CAA rioters’ – Delhi Police chargesheet against NewsClick

01/05/2024

The Print / by Bismee Taskin

In 8,000 page chargesheet, police have accused NewsClick & founder Prabir Purkayastha of ‘terror financing’, largely based on statements by protected witnesses. Both charged under UAPA.
Providing funding to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Left-Wing Extremists (LWE) and distributing cash among “rioters” associated with the 2019 protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) – these are the allegations against NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and activist Gautam Navlakha in the chargesheet filed by Delhi Police in the alleged NewsClick case last month.
Read more

NewsClick Rejects Absurd, Baseless Allegations in Delhi Police Chargesheet

01/05/2024

Newsclick / by Newsclick Team

NewsClick and Prabir Purkyastha have not been involved in any terrorist act. Nor is there any evidence for the same. Prabir does not have links to any terrorist group.
Several reports have appeared in the media reproducing allegations from the Delhi Police’s chargesheet against NewsClick and its Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha. Many of these reports have been published without seeking a response from NewsClick.
We have consistently maintained that we do not seek a media trial; that we do not want to discuss matters that are sub judice; and that we have full faith in the judicial process. However, given the gravity, and too often, the sheer absurdity, of the allegations, we would like to state the following.
Read full statement

Also read:
▪ ‘NewsClick’ case: Gautam Navlakha questioned by Delhi Police (Scroll.in / Dec 2023)
▪ This Is the Biggest Crackdown on the Indian Press by the Indian State (The Wire / Oct 2023)

Trial May Not Be Over For Another 10 Years, Says SC While Hearing NIA Challenge To Gautam Navlakha’s Bail

Trial May Not Be Over For Another 10 Years, Says SC While Hearing NIA Challenge To Gautam Navlakha’s Bail

Gautam Navlakha

Trial May Not Be Over For Another 10 Years, Says SC While Hearing NIA Challenge To Gautam Navlakha’s Bail

30/04/2024

Live Law / by Gyanvi Khanna

The Supreme Court (on April 30), while hearing National Investigative Agency’s challenge against the Bombay High Court order granting bail to Bhima Koregaon-accused Gautam Navlakha, orally said that the trial “may not be over for another ten years.”
This was after the Senior Advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, appearing for Navlakha, informed the Court that there were 375 witnesses in the case.
Read more

SC defers NIA appeal against Bombay HC’s bail to Gautam Navlakha to May 7

30/04/2024

The New Indian Express / by Suchitra Kalyan Mohanty

The hearing was adjourned as Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the National Investigation Agency, was unavailable to argue in the matter before it.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the NIA’s appeal challenging a Bombay High Court order granting bail to human rights activist and journalist Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, to May 7.
Read more

Also read:
▪ Stay on bail for long period affects personal liberty and rights, feel experts (The Indian Express / April 2024)
▪ ‘Ominous portents’: Why High Court staying its own bail orders in Bhima Koregaon case is troubling (Scroll.in / Dec 2023)
▪ Bombay High Court grants, stays bail to Gautam Navlakha (The Leaflet / Dec 2023)

HC grants bail to Sagar Gorkhe to attend brother’s wedding

HC grants bail to Sagar Gorkhe to attend brother’s wedding

Sagar Gorkha, Ramesh Gaichor. Poster by #bakeryprasad

Hindustan Times / by Sahyaja MS

The cultural activist and member of Kabir Kala Manch is set to be released from Taloja Central Jail on May 1. He must return to the prison by May 4
The Bombay high court has granted temporary bail to Sagar Tatyaram Gorkhe, an accused in the Bhima-Koregaon conspiracy case, to attend his brother’s wedding in Pune. The cultural activist and member of Kabir Kala Manch is set to be released from Taloja Central Jail on May 1. He must return to the prison by May 4 and would be escorted by police personnel in the interim period.
Read more

Also read/watch:
▪ Hunger Strike unto death against the harassment from Taloja Central Jail’s apathetic administration (By Sagar Gorkhe / May 20, 2022)
▪ Kabir Kala Manch: A History of Revolutionary Singing and State Repression (ritimo / April 2022)
▪ Video: Dafachya Talavar (Songs of Defiance) – A short documentary on Kabir Kala Manch | Hindi, Marthi (subtitles: English) | 24:01min | 2022

The story of the ‘Urban Naxal’ Sudha Bharadwaj (book excerpt)

The story of the ‘Urban Naxal’ Sudha Bharadwaj (book excerpt)

Deccan Herald / Alpa Shah (edited by DHNS)

The following is an edited excerpt from the recently released book ‘The Incarcerations – Bhima Koregaon and the Search for Democracy in India’ by Alpa Shah. It is the story of Sudha Bharadwaj, who was one of the ‘BK-16’ – lawyers, professors, journalists, artists, and activists – who were arrested and held in jail for years without trial under the UAPA law in the infamous Bhima-Koregaon case.
… In July 2012, a seven-minute bone-chilling video appeared on Sudha’s WhatsApp. It was shot on a mobile phone in the remote forested village of Sarkeguda in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region.
Read more

Also read:
▪ Fourth Drone Bomb Attack on Indigenous People in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. Stop This State Terror Now! (India Matters UK / April 2023)
▪ Sudha Bharadwaj speaks – A Life in Law and Activism

Publisher: Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
Edition: January 2021
Language: English
Paperback: 316 pages
Access a free PDF copy of the book here (2,1 MB)

▪ Condemn the State Sponsored Massacre Scripted as ‘Encounter’ in Gadchiroli and Bijapur in Central India (wssnet.wordpress.com / May 2018)
▪ How corporate land grab is sought to be legitimized in Chhattisgarh by misusing legal framework (Kractivism │ by Sudha Bharadwaj │ Feb 2018)

Compensate Arun Ferreira for not forwarding his letter from jail to mother on Stan Swamy: MSHRC

Compensate Arun Ferreira for not forwarding his letter from jail to mother on Stan Swamy: MSHRC

Compensate Elgaar Parishad accused Arun Ferreira for not forwarding his letter from jail to mother on Stan Swamy: Human rights panel

26/04/2024

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission has asked the prison department to educate its officers on prison rules to censor inmates’ letters.
The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has directed the home department to pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to lawyer and Elgaar Parishad case accused Arun Ferreira for violating his fundamental rights as a prisoner by not forwarding his letter on Father Stan Swamy to his mother.
Read more

Maharashtra officials told to pay activist Rs 2 lakh for blocking letter from jail to mother

25/04/2024

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

Arun Ferreira’s letter described his relationship with his co-accused in the Bhima Koregaon case Stan Swamy, who died in custody in 2021.
The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission has asked the state government and the superintendent of the Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai to pay compensation of Rs 2 lakh to activist Arun Ferreira for failing to send to his mother a letter he had written to her.
Read more

Also read:
▪ Caged birds and prison songs: In chorus, Stan Swamy and the Bhima Koregaon accused kept hope alive (Scroll.in | by Vernon Gonsalves | Jul 2023)
▪ How the system broke Stan Swamy: A cell mate recalls the activist’s last days in prison (Scroll.in | by Arun Ferreira | Aug 2021)

A Mango Republic – The arrest and incarceration of the multitude of people …

A Mango Republic – The arrest and incarceration of the multitude of people …

Campaign, 2020

The Wire / by Natasha Narwal

The arrest and incarceration of the multitude of people languishing in our prisons is as political as that of Kejriwal. How many mangoes will it take to get them out?
With the heat waves and rising mercury, the season of mango is here. But this season, mango is not just a fruit, it also seems to be a key conspirator in the plot to get Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal out of Tihar Jail. The chargesheet is still awaited in the case, but its good name has been dragged through the mud. What’s a mango supposed to do?
Behind this comedy of errors lies the horror of dismantling of Indian democracy.
Kejriwal’s arrest and incarceration is a watershed moment marking the crisis of democracy and free and fair elections in the country. But this moment has long been in the making and all those who want to fight for a democratic future must confront this history.
Read more

Also read:
▪ India – Fundamental Freedoms Deteriorate Further in Modi’s Second Term (CIVICUS / April 2024)
▪ Five Questions on the Shameful Proceedings Against Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal (The Wire / Jun 2023)
▪ The Uses (and Abuses) of Investigative Agencies (The Wire / Nov 2022)
▪ Maharashtra is adding activists to a secret list of the enemies of state (Newslaundry / July 2021)
▪ How Governments Avoid Due Process by Declaring Groups as ‘Front Organisations’ of Banned Entities (The Wire / Sep 2020)