Case Update – Page 30 – free them all

Wilson, Sen ask Bombay HC to decide what is ‘legal electronic evidence’ under criminal law

27/07/2021 Maya

Wilson, Sen ask Bombay HC to decide what is ‘legal electronic evidence’ under criminal law

27/07/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

Their counsels, senior advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover, also told a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar that there was no connection between the Elgaar Parishad event held on December 31, 2017, and the Koregaon Bhima violence that took place a day later.
Activists Rona Wilson and Shoma Sen, arrested in connection with the Elgaar Parishad case, urged the Bombay High Court on Monday to decide what was “legal electronic evidence” and stating the evidence relied upon by the probing agency was illegal as per law as it had been “planted”.
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Bhima Koregaon Violence Caused By Another Group: Jaising Argues Relying On Ex-CM’s Statements

26/07/2021

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

The caste violence at Bhima Koregaon on January 1, 2018, was not caused by the “lawful” Elgar Parishad event held the previous day, and the case would not attract the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, researcher Rona Wilson told the Bombay High Court.
Senior Advocate Indira Jaising for Wilson submitted that she would be relying on two statements made by then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
… On Monday, a bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar began physical hearings in Wilson and professor Shoma Sen’s petitions under section 482 of the CrPC, Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, challenging the sanction to prosecute them under the UA(P) Act.
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Also read: Bhima Koregaon Case: Where Are The Hindutva Leaders Accused of Violence? (The Quint, July 12, 2021)

HC Reserves Order On Surendra Gadling’s Bail Plea To Attend Mother’s Death Anniversary

26/07/2021 Maya

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

The Bombay High Court on Monday reserved for orders the temporary bail appeal of Bhima Koregaon- Elgar Parishad Case accused – Advocate Surendra Gadling to perform his mother’s funeral rites on her first death anniversary on August 15, 2021.
A division bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar said they would pronounce the order on July 30 2021, after hearing submissions from Senior Advocate Indira Jaising for Gadling and advocate Sandesh Patil for NIA.
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NIA opposes default bail pleas of eight accused

25/07/2021 Rani

NIA opposes default bail pleas of eight accused

25/07/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

A division bench of Justice S S Shinde and Justice N J Jamadar was hearing the plea filed by Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen, Surendra Gadling and Varavara Rao.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday opposed the plea filed by eight accused in the Elgaar Parishad case challenging the June 2019 order of the Pune sessions court rejecting their default bail pleas.
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May Be An Irregularity, Not An Illegality: Maharashtra Govt On Special NIA Court Not Taking Cognizance Of Case

23/07/2021

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

The Maharashtra Government and the National Investigation Agency on Friday continued their arguments opposing Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad accused Sudha Bharadwaj’s default bail application.
The State submitted that in her entire petition Bharadwaj hasn’t averred at a single place that she was “denied justice” because a sessions court, and not a special court under the NIA Act, took cognisance of the chargesheet against her and and other accused on February 21, 2019.
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If Court is not empowered to take cognizance, does not mean proceedings can be set aside: NIA to Bombay High Court

23/07/2021

Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi

An affidavit stating the same was filed before the High Court in the petition filed by eight accused in the Bhima Koregaon case challenging the order refusing bail.
Merely because a court is not empowered by law to take cognizance and yet does so in good faith does not mean that the proceedings should be set aside on that ground alone, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) submitted before the Bombay High Court in the Bhima Koregaon case.
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Judicial inquiry into Stan Swamy’s death yet to be initiated: State in Bombay HC

23/07/2021 Maya

+++ The Court posted the case for further hearing on August 4, 2021 +++

Judicial inquiry into Stan Swamy’s death yet to be initiated: State in Bombay HC

23/07/2021

The Indian Express / by Sadaf Modak

Oral comments made on Swamy, withdrawn by the court after ASG submitted they were ‘twisted’ on social media and by the press.
The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court on Friday that a judicial magisterial inquiry into the death of Father Stan Swamy is yet to be initiated.
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Bombay High Court Withdraws Oral Praise For Late Father Stan Swamy After NIA Objection

23/07/2021

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

The Bombay High Court on Friday withdrew its oral statements in praise of late tribal rights activist -Father Stan Swamy and his work – after the National Investigation Agency raised objections during his bail hearing posthumously.
Justice SS Shinde, however, said that even judges are human beings and the news of Father Swamy’s death on July 5 was sudden. Moreover, the court had added a rider that it wasn’t making any comment on Father Swamy’s incarceration or arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
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Bombay HC to decide on temporary bail to Surendra Gadling on July 26

22/07/2021 Rani

Bombay HC to decide on temporary bail to Surendra Gadling on July 26

22/07/2021

Free Press Journal / by Urvi Mahajani

The Bombay high court will decide on July 26 the application filed by human rights lawyer Surendra Gadling who is accused of his involvement in the Bhima Koregaon violence case, to perform last rights of his mother on her first death anniversary on August 15.
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Reason for seeking temporary bail daos not survive: NIA opposes Surendra Gadling´s temporary bail plea in Bombay High Court

22/07/2021

Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi

Gadling had sought temporary bail from the Special NIA Court on the ground that his mother had expired in August last year but the same was dismissed by the special NIA court leading to the appeal before High Court.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has asked the Bombay High Court to dismiss the appeal filed by Bhima Koregaon accused Surendra Gadling seeking temporary bail, as the ground cited by Gadling regarding his mother’s demise does not survive anymore (Surendra Gadling v. National Investigation Agency)
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Also read: Surendra Gadling’s Computer Was Attacked, Incriminating Documents Planted: Arsenal Consulting (The Wire, July 6, 2021)

How many years can an undertrial languish in jail without trial? HC asks NIA on Bhima-Koregaon Case

19/07/2021 Rani

How many years can an undertrial languish in jail without trial? Bombay High Court asks NIA on Bhima-Koregaon Violence

19/06/2021

Free Press Journal / by Narsi Benwal

HC says it has too much of respect for Stan Swamy and his work, irrespective of the legal position.
The Bombay High Court bench of Justices Sambhaji Shinde and Nizamoodin Jamadar on Monday asked the National Investigations Agency (NIA) as to for how many years could an undertrial be languishing in jail without trial. The bench was referring to the fact that several rights activists, some of them senior citizens, arrested in the Bhima-Koregaon violence case, have been in prison without charges being framed against them, since last three years.
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We Have Respect For Father Stan Swamy’s Work: Bombay High Court

19/06/2021

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

Justice SS Shinde of the Bombay High Court on Monday said late tribal rights activist and priest – Stan Swamy’s – graceful funeral service after his demise on July 5 2021, had touched him.
“I was informed about the timing of the funeral service. Such a wonderful person. The kind of services he has rendered to the society. We have respect for his work. Legally, whatever is there against him is a different matter…We normally don’t get time for TV, but we saw this funeral, and it was very graceful.”
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You will argue and leave, but we have to answer: Bombay HC to NIA during bail hearing of late Father Stan Swamy

19/06/2021

Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi

“For how many years without trial can people be asked to languish in jails? Speedy trial is a fundamental right,” the Court said.
The Bombay High Court on Monday lamented at the inordinate delay in concluding trials resulting in accused languishing in jails as undertrial prisoners.
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NIA Court rejecting bail to Anand Teltumbde [read judgment]

16/07/2021 Rani

Bail cannot be granted only because accused is innocent until proven guilty: NIA Court while rejecting bail to Anand Teltumbde [Read judgment]

16/07/2021

Bar &Bench / by Neha Joshi

The Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court at Mumbai observed that there was sufficient material to reach to prima facie conclusion that the accusations against Bhima Koregaon accused Anand Teltumbde are prima facie true.
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Read judgment

Special NIA Court Rejects Prof Anand Teltumbde’s Bail Application

12/07/2021

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

A Special NIA Court, on Monday, rejected the bail application of former IIT professor and academic Anand Teltumbde, booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case.
Special Judge DE Kothalikar had reserved the application for orders on July 6, 2021. Teltumbde, 70, was arrested by the NIA on April 14, last year, after he surrendered before the agency following Supreme Court orders and applied for bail on merits in the special court on January 13, 2021.
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Also read: Castist forces cannot digest success of a Dalit scholar: Anand Teltumbde in his bail plea (Bar & Bench, Jan 2021)

State and NIA oppose default bail plea by Sudha Bharadwaj and 8 other accused in the case

15/07/2021 Rani

UAPA Offences Will Go Before Special Court Only When NIA Investigates: Maharashtra Govt To Bombay High Court In Sudha Bharadwaj’s Plea For Default Bail

15/07/2021

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

Opposing the default bail plea of Bhima Koregaon- Elgar Parishad accused Sudha Bharadwaj, on Thursday, the Maharashtra Government said that orders passed by the Pune Judge Kishore Vadane were not without jurisdiction even though he was a sessions judge and not a Special Judge under the NIA Act.
During the last hearing Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar had said that the Court’s records were consistent with RTI replies received by Bharadwaj judge KD Vadane’s court was not notified as a special court under the NIA Act.
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Update by Live Law (July 15)

#BombayHighCourt will hear lawyer-activist, #SudhaBharadwaj’s plea seeking default bail on the grounds that the Pune judge was not authorised to take cognisance of the chargesheet against her and others in 2019 +++

A bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar will also hear a petition by other accused in the Bhima Koregaon case seeking similar reliefs +++

Hearing begins. Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni for the State. Adv Yug Chaudhry for Sudha Bharadwaj +++

…
Read thread @LiveLawIndia

Also read: Cognizance Of Bhima Koregaon Chargesheet Vitiated As Pune Judge Wasn’t Special Judge Under NIA Act? Bombay High Court To Examine (Live Law, July 8, 2021)

Plea against transfer of Bhima Koregaon probe from State Police an obstacle: NIA to Bombay HC

13/07/2021 Rani

Plea against transfer of Bhima Koregaon probe from State Plice an obstacle: NIA to Bombay HC

13/07/2021

Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi

The plea challenging the transfer of probe in the Bhima Koregaon case from Pune Police to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is an exercise is to impede and cause obstacles in the process of investigation by central agency, the NIA submitted before the Bombay High Court.
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NIA tells HC that Bhima-Koregaon case given to it because of ‘gravity of offence’

13/07/2021

The Hindu / by Sonam Saigal

NIA tells HC that Bhima-Koregaon case given to it because of ‘gravity of offence’
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday told the Bombay High Court that, “considering the gravity of the offence and its inter-State link and implications on national security, the Central government had suo motu directed the NIA to take up the investigation” in the Bhima-Koregaon case.
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Also read: Petition filed in Bombay High Court challenging transfer of case investigation to NIA (The Leaflet, June 2020)

Arsenal Report Can’t Be Relied Upon, Pune Police Opposes Rona Wilson’s Plea

13/07/2021 Rani

Arsenal Report Can’t Be Relied Upon, Pune Police Opposes Rona Wilson’s Plea Alleging Planting Of Materials

13/07/2021

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

The Pune police that was stripped of the investigations into the Bhima-Koregaon Elgar-Parishad case by the Union government in January 2020, has filed an affidavit on the same lines as the National Investigation Agency(NIA) opposing activist Rona Wilson’s petition seeking to quash the case before the Bombay High Court.
The affidavit filed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Shrinivas Muralidhar Ghadge seeks dismissal of Wilson’s petition on grounds of maintainability, including stating that the report by USA based Arsenal Consulting is not admissible as it is not a part of any of the charge sheets filed by the investigating agencies.
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Pune Police opposes Rona Wilson’s plea alleging ‘planted’ evidence, calls it ‘premature’

13/07/2021

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

The Pune Police said the forensic report of the US-based consultancy was not a part of the chargesheet and can be looked into by the trial court and need to be dealt with currently by the high court.
The Pune Police has recently opposed a petition filed by Rona Wilson, an accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, seeking to quash a chargesheet filed against them claiming the charges levelled were based on material that was allegedly planted on electronic devices of the activist.
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Also read: Surendra Gadling’s Computer Was Attacked, Incriminating Documents Planted: Arsenal Consulting (The Wire, July 7)