The Elgar Parishad case has been transferred from Mumbai’s designated NIA court in Sessions Court No. 25 to newly notified Court No. 26. The move comes as discharge hearings were nearing completion, with several applications pending for over two years. The transfer could require arguments to be repeated, potentially delaying proceedings.
Days after the NIA court refused to cancel the bail of activists Sudha Bharadwaj, poet Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, booked in connection with their alleged involvement in the Elgar Parishad violence case, the case has been transferred to another court. Read more
Supreme Court to hear bail plea of Bhima Koregaon accused Surendra Gadling on October 14
01/09/2026
The Hindu / by The Hindu Bureau
The present bail plea arises from the 2016 Surjagarh arson case, in which several vehicles transporting iron ore from Surjagarh mines in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district were allegedly set ablaze by persons associated with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist)
The Supreme Court said on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) that it would her on October 14 a bail plea filed by advocate and activist Surendra Gadling in connection with the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case. Read more
Supreme Court to hear Surendra Gadling’s bail plea on Oct 14
01/09/2026
The Print / by pti
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear on October 14 a plea filed by advocate Surendra Gadling seeking bail in the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case.
Gadling has challenged in the apex court a January 2023 order of the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court which refused to grant him bail in the case.
The plea came up for hearing before a bench of justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih and Sandeep Mehta.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Gadling, said the petitioner is also an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, and he is already granted bail in that case. Read more
by Bar & Bench / @barandbench (Aug 29):
A special Mumbai court today has rejected applications filed by NIA seeking cancellation of bail of four accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case.
The special judge held that mere presence at a gathering with co-accused does not automatically amount to a breach of bail conditions without concrete evidence of illegal activities.
Bail! VV Rao, Feb 2021
Vernon & Arun walk out of jail. Aug 5, 2023.
Sudha Bharadwaj, Dec 2021
Bhima Koregaon Case: NIA Court Refuses To Cancel Bail Of Sudha Bharadwaj & 3 Others For Attending Press Club Event
30/08/2026
Live Law / by Narsi Benwal
A Special Court on Saturday (August 29) refused to cancel the bail granted to four rights activists booked in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case. The Special Court has, however, ‘cautioned’ the accused persons against breaching the conditions imposed on them while granting them bail.
Special Judge Chakor Baviskar dismissed the application filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeking to cancel the bail granted to Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves.
The four accused were granted bail at various points of time by either the High Court or the Supreme Court. Read more
Bhima Koregaon case: Mumbai court rejects NIA plea to cancel bail for four activists
30/08/2026
Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff
The agency claimed that Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves violated their bail conditions by attending a gathering in January.
A Mumbai court has rejected the National Investigation Agency’s application to cancel the bail granted to four activists in the Bhima Koregaon case, reported Bar and Bench on Sunday.
The investigating agency had sought that the bail granted to activists Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves be cancelled on the grounds that they had attended a gathering at the Mumbai Press Club in January along with other persons accused in the case. Read more
Court Rejects NIA’s Plea to Put Elgar Parishad Accused Back in Jail
30/08/2026
The Wire / by The Wire Staff
There is no evidence that four accused persons in the case gathered earlier this year with a view to commit similar crimes, the court ruled.
A Mumbai court has rejected the National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s plea to put four individuals accused in the Elgar Parishad case back in jail on the grounds that they violated their bail conditions.
Special judge Chakor Baviskar on Saturday (August 29) ruled in four orders dealing with Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Vernon Gonsalves that there is no evidence they gathered at a function in Mumbai earlier this year looking to commit crimes similar to what they are accused of committing. Read more
No bail violation in ordinary human interaction, court says, rejecting NIA plea against four Elgaar Parishad accused
30/08/2026
Maktoob Media / by Maktoob
A special court on Saturday refused to cancel the bail of four human rights defenders accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, holding that the NIA had failed to produce evidence that their presence at a January gathering at the Mumbai Press Club amounted to a violation of their bail conditions.
… NIA judge Chakor Baviskar remarked that co-accused routinely meet inside and outside courtrooms during hearings and converse about their cases and personal well-being.
“By that alone, they cannot be said to be committing any breach…Merely because the venue of the meeting/gathering of the accused changed, they cannot be said to have committed breach of the bail condition,” the order stated. Read more
NIA court rejects pleas to cancel bail of 4 Elgar Parishad case accused
30/08/2026
Hindustan Times / by Vikrant Jha
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Saturday rejected the NIA’s pleas to cancel the bail of four Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case accused — Telugu poet-activist P Varavara Rao, lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj, and activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, for participating in an event at the Mumbai Press Club earlier this year
The court said there was no evidence to show that the gathering they attended was meant to propagate CPI (Maoist) ideology or advance the “Urban Naxal” movement. Read more
The Special NIA Court in Mumbai rejected the agency’s plea to cancel bail granted to four Elgar Parishad accused, saying their mere presence at a Press Club gathering did not establish a violation of bail conditions or Maoist-linked activity.
A Special NIA Court in Mumbai on Saturday rejected the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) applications seeking cancellation of bail granted to activists P Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Arun Ferreira in the Elgar Parishad case, holding that the agency had failed to produce sufficient evidence to establish a violation of their bail conditions. Read more
Court refuses to cancel bail of 4 accused over Press Club gathering
29/08/2026
The Indian Express / by Sadaf Modak
NIA failed to produce evidence that Sudha Bharadwaj, Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira met to further ‘Urban Naxal’ activities, court says
A special court on Saturday refused to cancel the bail of four accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, holding that the NIA had failed to produce evidence that their presence at a January gathering at the Mumbai Press Club amounted to a violation of their bail conditions. Read more
After 3 Supreme Court Judges Recuse, Surendra Gadling Requests CJI Kant To List Bail Plea In Surajgarh Arson Case
27/07/2026
Law Beat / by Aishwarya Iyer
Last week, the Supreme Court said the matter would be listed before a different combination after noting that Justice Shree Chandrashekhar was unable to hear the case.
The Supreme Court today heard a mentioning made on behalf of Surendra Gadling concerning listing of his bail plea in connection with the 2016 Surajgarh arson case.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal told a CJI Surya Kant led bench, “Another judge has recused..it may be listed..”. Read more
Surendra Gadling Bail Plea: Kapil Sibal Asks Supreme Court To List Matter Before Another Bench After Third Judge’s Recusal
27/07/2026
Live Law / by Gursimran Kaur Bakshi
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal on Monday requested the Supreme Court to assign lawyer-activist Surendra Gadling’s bail plea in the 2016 Gadchiroli arson case to a different bench, after Justice Shree Chandrashekhar recently recused from hearing the matter. Read more
3rd SC judge recuses himself from hearing lawyer Surendra Gadling’s bail plea
21/07/2026
Hindustan Times / by Abraham Thomas
Supreme Court judge Shree Chandrashekhar on Tuesday recused himself from hearing lawyer Surendra Gadling’s bail plea in a 2016 arson case, becoming the third judge to do so in the case over the past year.
Justice PK Mishra announced the recusal when the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sought an adjournment before the matter came up for hearing before a bench comprising him and Justice Chandrashekhar. Justice Mishra said the matter had to be adjourned anyway, as Justice Chandrashekhar conveyed his inability to hear it. “This will have to go before another bench as my brother [Justice Chandrashekhar] has some difficulty.” Read more
Third Supreme Court Judge Recuses From Hearing Surendra Gadling’s Bail Plea In 2016 Gadchiroli Arson Case
21/07/2026
Live Law / by Gursimran Kaur Bakshi
The Supreme Court today (July 21) ordered that the bail plea of lawyer-activist Surendra Gadling in the 2016 Gadchiroli arson case should be heard by a bench not comprising Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.
The matter was listed before a bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Shree Chandrashekhar. At the outset, an advocate on behalf of Additional Solicitor General SV Raju (for the National Investigation Agency) sought a passover, while Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for the petitioner. However, Justice Mishra said the matter will go before another coordinate bench since Justice Chandrashekhar has some difficulty. Read more
Justice Shree Chandrashekhar recuses from hearing bail plea of Bhima Koregaon accused Surendra Gadling
21/07/2026
The Hindu / by The Hindu Bureau
This marks the third recusal by a Supreme Court judge from hearing activist Mr. Gadling’s bail plea without assigning any reason; the bail plea arises from the 2016 Surjagarh arson case; Mr. Gadling has been in Taloja Central Prison since June 2018 following his arrest in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case
Supreme Court judge Justice Shree Chandrashekhar on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) recused himself from hearing a bail petition filed by advocate and activist Surendra Gadling in connection with the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case. It is the third such recusal by a Supreme Court judge in the past year, with no reasons assigned on any of the occasions. Read more
SC to hear Surendra Gadling’s bail plea next week in Elgar Parishad case
17/07/2026
National Herald / by NH Digital
Advocate has spent over seven years in jail; court agrees to urgent hearing after counsel cites repeated delays
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear next week the bail plea of advocate Surendra Gadling, an accused in the 2018 Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, after his counsel highlighted his prolonged incarceration and repeated delays in the proceedings. Read more
SC to hear Surendra Gadling bail plea in Elgar Parishad case next week after delays
17/07/2026
India Today / by India Today News Desk
The Supreme Court will hear advocate Surendra Gadling’s bail plea next week in the Elgar Parishad case. The listing revives a long-pending matter after repeated adjournments and years of incarceration.
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear next week the bail plea of advocate Surendra Gadling, an accused in the 2018 Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana gave the assurance after senior advocate Kapil Sibal sought an urgent listing, saying Gadling had been in jail for seven-and-a-half years. Read more
NIA making malicious and false allegations to delay trial: Sudha Bhardwaj
11.07.2026
Hindustan Times / by Vikrant Jha
Bharadwaj told a special court that the agency’s allegations that a gathering on January 19 at the Mumbai Press Club was convened to propagate the ideology of the banned CPI (Maoist) and further the “Urban Naxal” movement were “wholly false and malicious” and “no documents or evidence of any kind supporting these” had been supplied to her by the NIA.
Activist-lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case, on Friday opposed the National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s plea seeking cancellation of her bail. Read more
Mere communication with co-accused can’t warrant bail cancellation, court told
11.07.2026
The Indian Express / by Sadaf Modak
The agency claims that they have violated a bail condition, by communicating with each other. The court will hear arguments by the lawyers of the other two accused, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, whose bails are sought to be cancelled by the NIA on July 20.
In the Elgaar Parishad case, lawyer activist Sudha Bharadwaj told a special court on Friday that mere communication between co-accused cannot be a ground to cancel bail. The court was hearing arguments on the National Investigation Agency’s plea seeking cancellation of bail to Bharadwaj and three other accused, over a meeting at the Mumbai Press Club in January. Read more
Update by Bar & Bench (Jul 15):
Bombay High Court gave NIA one week’s time to respond to Mahesh Raut’s plea seeking leave to go to Kerala for a medical treatment.
The court indicated it would pass an order permitting the Bhima Koregaon accused to travel for about 9 days with conditions like reporting to the local police station after three days, subject to NIA’s reply.
Mahesh Raut moves Bombay High Court for permission to travel to Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment
07/07/2026
Bar & Bench / by Bar & Bench
The Bhima Koregaon accused has sought permission to visit Kerala’s Ayurvedasram for rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
Mahesh Raut, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case of 2018, has moved the Bombay High Court after a special court rejected his plea to travel to Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment in January 2026. [Mahesh Raut v. NIA & Ors.] Read more
Accused Mahesh Raut Moves Bombay High Court Seeking Permission To Travel To Kerala For Treatment
07/07/2026
Live Law / by Narsi Benwal
One of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case, Mahesh Raut has moved a plea before the Bombay High Court seeking permission to travel to Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment after a special NIA court turned down his plea for the same in January this year.
Raut has challenged the January 21, 2026 order of a special NIA court in the city, which had rejected his plea to travel to Poonthottam Ayurvedasram in Kerala from January 29 to February 7. He had sought to travel to the Ayurvedic Ashram for treating his rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome. He had urged the court to relax the condition in his bail order, which mandated him not to leave Mumbai. Read more
Charge of Maoist link in Press Club meet ‘mere assumption’ – Varavara Rao opposes NIA bail repeal plea
07/07/2026
The Print / by Mayank Kumar
Seeking cancellation of bail to Elgar Parishad accused, NIA alleges that January meeting at Mumbai Press Club was intended to discuss ways to spread the ‘Urban Naxal’ movement.
Poet-activist Varavara Rao has opposed the National Investigation Agency’s plea to cancel his bail in the 2018 Elgar Parishad case, saying he was merely an invitee to a Mumbai Press Club dinner and was unaware that other co-accused had also been invited, countering the NIA’s argument that they had violated bail conditions. Read more
Poet-activist Varavara Rao has opposed the NIA’s plea seeking cancellation of his bail in the Elgar Parishad case, denying he knowingly met co-accused at a Mumbai Press Club event. Rao said there is no evidence of communication with co-accused or Maoist propaganda, asserting the meeting focused on prisoners’ issues and legal matters. The NIA court will hear arguments on July 10. Read more
3 accused oppose NIA’s plea to cancel their bail for attending press club event
03/07/2026
Hindustan Times / by Vikrant Jha
Poet-activist Varavara Rao, activist Vernon Gonsalves and activist-lawyer Arun Ferreira filed separate replies before Special Judge Chakor S Baviskar, opposing the NIA’s applications seeking cancellation of their bail. The court took the replies on record and adjourned the matter to July 10 for hearing
Three accused in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case on Thursday opposed the National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s plea seeking cancellation of their bail. They told a special court that they were unaware they had been invited together to a January event at the Mumbai Press Club, that they had merely attended it as invitees, and that bail could not be cancelled lightly in the absence of any deliberate or substantial breach of its conditions. Read more
NIA records statement of 6 over Mumbai Press Club meet cited in Elgaar bail plea
02/07/2026
The Indian Express / by Express News Service
The agency has argued that the accused violated bail conditions prohibiting them from establishing communication with co-accused or persons allegedly involved in similar activities by attending the gathering together.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recorded the statements of six persons, including three journalists expelled from the Mumbai Press Club and three office-bearers of the club, as part of its probe into the January 19 gathering at the club that has become central to its bid to cancel the bail of several accused in the Elgaar Parishad case. Read more
Bombay High Court seeks NIA’s reply to Varavara Rao’s plea to permanently reside in Hyderabad
13/06/2026
The Indian Express / by Express News Service
A special NIA court rejected Varavara Rao’s plea in March this year.
The Bombay High Court Friday sought the National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s reply to an appeal by poet-activist Varavara Rao, who is an accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, seeking permission to permanently live in his hometown Hyderabad, citing financial hardship and age-related constraints. Read more
Bombay High Court Seeks NIA Response On Varavara Rao’s Plea To Shift To Hyderabad
12/06/2026
Live Law / by Narsi Benwal
The Bombay High Court on Friday (June 12) issued notice on petition by 85-year-old Telugu Poet P Varavara Rao, accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in the Bhima Koregaon case, seeking permission to move to Hyderabad stating that living in Mumbai is not affordable for him. Rao, has challenged a March 16 order passed by a special NIA Court, which dismissed his application to reside in Hyderabad. Read more
Bombay HC seeks NIA response to Varavara Rao’s plea for leave to shift to Hyderabad
12/06/2026
Bar & Bench / by Bar & Bench
A bail condition imposed on Rao is that he cannot leave the jurisdiction of an NIA court in Mumbai without permission. Rao has now sought permission to shift to Hyderabad.
Activist-poet P Varavara Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, has moved the Bombay High Court seeking permission to permanently shift his residence from Mumbai to Hyderabad [P Varavara Rao v. National Investigation Agency & Ors.].
A Division Bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata has sought the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) response to the plea and posted the matter for hearing after two weeks. Read more
HC seeks NIA response on Varavara Rao’s plea to move to Hyderabad
12/06/2026
Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff
The activist’s bail conditions mandate that he obtain permission from the National Investigation Agency court to travel outside Mumbai.
The Bombay High Court on Friday sought the National Investigation Agency’s response to a petition by activist-poet Varavara Rao, who is out on bail in the Bhima Koregaon case, seeking permission to permanently relocate from Mumbai to Hyderabad, Live Law reported. Read more
NIA Moves to Cancel Bails of Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in Elgar Parishad Case
11/06/2026
The Wire / by Sukanya Shantha
It had, last month, moved a similar application seeking the cancellation of Varavara Rao and Sudha Bharadwaj’s bails.
After their prolonged incarceration and subsequent release on bail, the National Investigating Agency is eager to send the rights defenders held in the Elgar Parishad case back to jail.
The agency (NIA) had, last month, moved an application seeking cancellation of the bail of Telugu poet-activist Varavara Rao and lawyer-academic Sudha Bharadwaj. On June 10, Wednesday, the agency moved a fresh application seeking cancellation of the bails of two more activists, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira. Read more
NIA seeks bail cancellation of Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira over violation of bail conditions
11/06/2026
Bar & Bench / by Bar & Bench
The agency alleged before the special court in Mumbai that Ferreira and Gonsalves attended a January 19 gathering at the Mumbai Press Club where other accused persons were present.
A Mumbai special court on Wednesday directed accused Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira to respond to the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) pleas seeking cancellation of their bail in the Bhima Koregaon case over alleged violations of bail conditions. Read more
NIA moves to cancel Gonsalves, Ferreira bail in Elgar Parishad case
11/06/2026
Hindustan Times / by Vikrant Jha
Special Judge Chakor S Baviskar directed Gonsalves (68) and Ferreira (53) to file their replies to the applications, which have been posted for further consideration on June 19.
Weeks after seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Varavara Rao and Sudha Bharadwaj, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday moved a special court seeking revocation of the bail granted to activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case, alleging that they violated the conditions of their release by attending a gathering at the Mumbai Press Club earlier this year. Read more
NIA seeks bail cancellation of 2 more Elgar case accused | Mumbai News
10/06/2026
The Times of India / by Rebecca Samervel
Nearly a month after seeking cancellation of the bail granted to two 2018 Elgar Parishad case accused—activist and lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj and poet Varavara Rao—NIA on Wednesday moved moved a similar plea in a special court against two co-accused, activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, citing wilful violation of the bail conditions. Read more
