Asha – Page 88 – free them all

Bhima Koregaon Commission of Inquiry seeks affidavit by officer who probed Elgaar case

15/07/2022 Asha

Koregaon Bhima panel seeks affidavit by officer who probed Elgaar case

17/07/2022

The Indian Express / by Chandan Haygunde

Pune City Police has claimed that the conclave was organised according to the strategy of the banned CPI-Maoist. According to police, speeches delivered at the conclave and previous campaigns for the event were among factors that caused the violence in Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018.
The Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry has directed the lawyer representing the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit by police officer Shivaji Pawar, who had investigated the Elgaar Parishad case when he was attached to Pune City Police.
Read more

Bhima Koregaon Hearings: IO Asked To File Affidavit

15/07/2022

Rediff.com / by Jyoti Punwani

ACP Shivaji Pawar has been asked to file his affidavit by August 15.
As the hearings in the Bhima Koregaon Commission of Inquiry near their end, the Elgar Parishad has started becoming the focus of the proceedings.
On Friday, the Commission ordered Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar, the investigating officer in the case in which the ‘Bhima Koregaon 16’ have been behind bars since 2018, to file an affidavit before the Commission.
Read more

Also read:
● Police Linked to Hacking Campaign to Frame Indian Activists (Wired.com / June 2022)
● As Bhima Koregaon case completes its fourth anniversary, State reprisal is writ large in its twists and turns (The Leaflet / June 2022)

Your Ideas Have Spread Like Wildfire: A Letter to Anand Teltumbde on His Birthday / His thoughts strive to liberate us

15/07/2022 Asha

‘Your Ideas Have Spread Like Wildfire’: A Letter to Dr Anand Teltumbde on His Birthday

15/07/2022

The Wire / by Suraj Yengde, Balmurli Natrajan, Meena Kandasamy, Sangeeta Kamat and Biju Mathew

“The world is at the brink of not giving up, of refusing, of resisting. You are that world in a world apart who has shown us to not give up.”

Dear Anand,
The din of darkness sprawls, the night sky devours and us – those who love you yearn for the patient past to be with us and skip the present. There is a silence in the lover’s island while the canon of flames has died in a fascist land.
Read more

Republic of Caste: Anand Teltumbde’s thoughts strive to liberate us even as he is in jail

15/07/2022

Scroll.in / by Jean Drèze

His vision of working-class unity with an anti-caste core may or may not be realisable, but it is an important line of argument and action at the very least.
“Turn in any direction you like, caste is the monster that crosses your path.” This powerful image from Dr Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste, published in 1936, still rings true today. That would be obvious enough from the point of view of the oppressed castes, but they are not the only victims of the caste system. India’s entire society, culture and politics are also casualties of it.
Read more

Also read:
● Why Anand Teltumbde Matters – My Birthday Wish To A Caged Bird (YKA / Jul 2022)

Why did India´s media ignore Wired story on plice planting evidence against Bhima Koregaon activists?

14/07/2022 Asha

Newslaundry / by Kalpana Sharma

News is always “breaking” and stories are sometimes “broken”. But then you also have important stories that are “broken” but are quickly forgotten. Not always deliberately, although sometimes that is the case. Quite often because there is just too much news breaking all around us, genuine and fake. As a result, many important stories that need to be followed up are relegated to the archives.
… But first to an important investigative story that got barely reported in the Indian media.
I refer to the remarkable story broken by the Wired magazine on June 16. Headlined “Police linked to hacking campaign to frame Indian activists”, the story describes in some detail how the Indian police were able to plant evidence on the computers of some activists that ultimately led to their arrest.
Read more

Also read:
● Police Linked to Hacking Campaign to Frame Indian Activists (Wired.com / June 2022)
● The unravelling of a conspiracy: were the 16 charged with plotting to kill India’s prime minister framed? (The Guardian / Aug 2021)
● Explainer: Arsenal Report on Surendra Gadling (The Leaflet / July 2021)
● They were Accused of plotting to overthrow the Modi government – The evidence was planted, a new report says (Washington Post / Feb 2021)

Commission of Inquiry: Elgaar Parishad activist questioned over Anand Teltumbde’s article

14/07/2022 Asha

The Indian Express / by Chandan Haygunde

During the cross-examination before the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry, activist Harshali Potdar was questioned about an article written by Anand Teltumbde in memory of Sridhar Srinivasan, the alleged central committee member of the banned CPI-Maoist.
Alleged to be a top urban operative of the banned organisation, Sridhar was arrested along with his aide Vernon Gonsalves by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in 2007.
Read more

Also read:
● Witness Before Probe Panel Accuses Sambhaji Bhide & Milind Ekbote Of Instigating Bhima Koregaon Riots (Live Law / Oct 2021)

CPJ calls on EU to hold India to account for media clampdown

13/07/2022 Asha

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) / by CPJ

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on the European External Action Service to hold Indian authorities accountable for widespread and severe press freedom violations when they meet for the annual India-EU Human Rights Dialogue on Friday, July 15 …
Gibson also called on the EU to press India for action on the following press freedom violations and attacks on journalists documented by CPJ:
▪ The ongoing pretrial detention of Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde, Siddique Kappan, and Manan Dar under India’s draconian anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Read more

Also read:
● For the second consecutive year, India drops on freedom score (The Hindu / March 2022)
● Freeedom in The World 2022: The Global Expansion of Authoritarian Rule (Freedom House / Feb 2022, booklet)

Sipper and straw, to mosquito nets and phone calls: Elgar accused in court for relief

13/07/2022 Asha

The Indian Express / by Sadaf Modak

Varavara Rao is currently on bail on medical grounds, and had challenged in the Supreme Court the High Court order rejecting his appeal.
… Incidentally, the High Court had also noted the claims made by Rao’s counsel on the lack of medical facilities at the Taloja prison and the poor hygienic conditions there, saying there was substance in the argument.
In the trial in the case, the Elgar Parishad accused have repeatedly brought up the lack of facilities in prison, and denial of access to the same.
Read more

Remembering Fr. Stan Swamy’s life and death

12/07/2022 Asha

The Leaflet / by Shrutika Pandey and Shamim Modi

The absence of legal refuge grants the State impunity and constrains effective legal argumentation, progressive judicial pronouncements, and public mobilization.
A year ago, the nation lamented the unfortunate death of Father Stan Swamy, an activist and a Catholic priest who dedicated his entire life to defending tribal rights. Fr. Stan died in custody at the age of 83 years on alleged terrorism charges in the frivolous Bhima Koregaon case, after contracting COVID-19 and exacerbating his Parkinson’s disease while lodged in Mumbai’s Taloja prison for nine months.
With an illustrious life of fighting for the oppressed, his custodial death brought attention to the targeted persecution of anyone who, through constitutional means, poses uncomfortable questions of the State’s self-serving narrative.
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Supreme Court Extends Interim Protection Of Varavara Rao; Adjourns Bail Plea To July 19

12/07/2022 Asha

VV Rao, Feb 2021

Supreme Court Extends Interim Protection Of Varavara Rao; Adjourns Bail Plea To July 19

12/07/2022

Live Law / by Livelaw News Network

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned to July 19 the hearing of the petition filed by octogenarian P Varavara Rao seeking bail in the Bhima Koregaon case.
A bench comprising Justices UU Lalit, S Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia granted the adjournment at a request made by Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta.
The SG requested for adjournment and agreed that the interim protection given by the Bombay High Court to Rao from surrender, which is expiring today, can be extended.
Read more

SC extends activist Varavara Rao’s interim bail till further orders

12/07/2022

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

His plea seeking permanent medical bail will be heard on July 19.
The Supreme Court on Monday extended the interim bail granted to activist Varavara Rao till further orders, Live Law reported. The court will hear the activist’s plea seeking permanent medical bail on July 19.
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Supreme Court to hear Varavara Rao’s appeal against Bombay High Court’s refusal to extend his medical bail

30/06/2022

The Leaflet / by The Leaflet

Earlier today, a vacation bench of the Supreme Court directed its registry to list on July 11 the appeal filed by poet, activist and teacher P. Varavara Rao, accused of inciting violence in the Bhima Koregaon case, against the Bombay High Court’s order refusing to extend his medical bail.
Senior advocate Anand Grover mentioned the appeal before a vacation bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and J.B. Pardiwala, seeking an urgent listing of the appeal, given that the due time for Rao to surrender is expiring on July 13.
Read more

And comrades admire Jyoti Jagtap

11/07/2022 Asha

Midday.com / by Ajaz Ashraf

That’s why comrades have not forgotten her as she festers in jail. They send her books on psychology—her passion, wire money to her prison account, and take donations to fund her legal battle.
Jyoti Jagtap was on her way to Pune*s Saras Baug on September 8, 2020, to meet her mates from the Kabir Kala Manch, a cultural troupe which often has had to endure the state*s iron fist in its 20-year existence. The Saras Baug meet had been convened to discuss the implications of the arrest of two members of the Manch – Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkhe – a day earlier, for inciting the 2018 Bhima-Koregaon violence with their music show and for harbouring links with the Maoists.
Jyoti was being tailed as she wended towards Saras Baug, for when she stopped her scooter at a traffic light, a woman slid on the pillion and said: “You are under arrest.”
Read more

Also read:
● And the letters of Rona Wilson (Midday.com / June 2022)
● And Allah’s call to Hany Babu (Midday.com / June 2022)
● And Ma can’t sing with Sagar (Midday.com / June 2022)
● And he waits for Shoma Sen (Midday.com / May 2022)
● And she waits for Gautam Navlakha (Midday.com / May 2022)

Different Courts Different Orders On Use Of Nets In “Mosquito Prone” Taloja Prison / Navlakha and Gorkhe denied net

09/07/2022 Asha

Different Courts Different Orders On Use Of Nets In “Mosquito Prone” Taloja Prison

09/07/2022

Live Law / by Live Law News Network

Just days after a special NIA court allowed an accused in the Antilia Terror Scare Case to use a mosquito net in the Taloja prison, another special court refused the same relief to Sagar Gorkhe and journalist Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregaon – Elgar Parishad Case.
Special NIA Judge Rajesh Katariya in the Elgar case, however, directed the Superintendent of Taloja prison to take all precautions against mosquitoes.
Read more

NIA court rejects plea to use mosquito nets in prison

08/07/2022

The Leaflet / by Sarah Thanawala

It’s most cruel and inhuman to deny inmates mosquito nets, says advocate for the accused, Susan Abraham.
On Thursday, a special National Intelligence Agency (‘NIA’) court in Mumbai presided by Special Judge Rajesh Kataria, rejected the plea filed by Gautam Navlakha and Sagar Gorkhe, to use mosquito nets in prison. The court allowed Navlakha and Gorkhe to use mosquito repellant ointments and natural mosquito incense sticks.
… Further, activist Jyoti Jagtap, another co-accused in the Bhima-Koregaon (Elgar Parishad) case, has prayed for permission to read books. A reply has to be filed by the State on Jagtap’s plea.
Read more

Court rejects demand for nets, but asks jail to take precautions against mosquitoes

08/07/2022

The Indian Express / by Sadaf Modak

A special court on Thursday rejected applications filed by two accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, 73-year-old journalist Gautam Navlakha and activist Sagar Gorkhe, for access to mosquito nets at Taloja Central Jail where they are lodged. The court rejected their pleas but said that it is giving directions to the jail to deal with mosquitoes.
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Navlakha, another Elgaar accused denied mosquito net in prison

07/07/2022

Free Press Journal / by Bhavna Uchil

The court has permitted Navlakha and Gorkhe to use mosquito repellents, ointments and natural mosquito incense sticks. It has asked the jail authority to submit the compliance report.
Read more

Also read:
● As Sagar Gorkhe announces fast unto death, Gautam Navlakha approaches NIA court seeking mosquito net (The Leaflet / May 2022)