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Category: Persecution

HC Orders Hospital To Submit Fresh Report On Varvara Rao’s Health Condition [read order]

HC Orders Hospital To Submit Fresh Report On Varvara Rao’s Health Condition [read order]

Bombay HC Orders Nanavati Hospital To Submit Fresh Report On Varvara Rao’s Health Condition [read order]

08/01/2021

Live Law / by Nitish Kashyap

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital at Mumbai to submit a fresh report about the health condition of Dr. PV Varavara Rao on the next date of hearing on January 13 and observed that the 81-year-old Telugu poet accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence will remain in hospital till then.
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Court allows Varavara Rao to stay in hospital till January 13

07/01/2021

Hindustan Times / by K A Y Dodhia

Rao is among over a dozen scholars and rights activists arrested for their alleged links with Maoists and for allegedly instigating violence at Bhima Koregaon near Pune in 2018.
The Bombay high court on Thursday allowed ailing jailed Telugu poet P Varavara Rao, 82, to remain until January 13 in a Mumbai hospital, where he was late last year admitted to on the court’s directions for better treatment.
The extension was granted even as Rao’s condition has improved after his wife, P Hemlatha, sought one-week to go through his medical reports. It also scheduled the hearing of his bail plea on health grounds on January 13.
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Varavara Rao to remain in hospital till next week, says HC

07/01/2021

The Telegraph / by Telegraph Bureau, Agencies

Division bench extends activist’s stay, state government submits health update.
The Bombay High Court on Thursday said that jailed Telugu poet-activist Varavara Rao will continue to stay at a private hospital in Mumbai till January 13.
Rao, 80, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, was admitted to Nanavati Hospital in the city owing to his health issues in November following the court’s orders.
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Bhima Koregaon case: Three years of legal and rights violations

Bhima Koregaon case: Three years of legal and rights violations

Newslaundry / by Prateek Goyal

The violation of the rights of the activists, lawyers and scholars, disregard for rules and misuse of law has marked the case since the very beginning.
Maharashtra’s prisons routinely provide TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners, cellphones, and homemade food to hardcore criminals and politicians. Yet, they refused to give a drinking straw to Stan Swamy, an 83-year-old scholar and activist awaiting trial. The police also denied a request to allow the family of Gautam Navlakha, who is 70, to send him prescription glasses. The courts were petitioned but they did little to help.
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Bhima Koregaon, Elgar Parishad: One-Sided Probe / Ex-HC judge condemns jailing of activists

Bhima Koregaon, Elgar Parishad: One-Sided Probe / Ex-HC judge condemns jailing of activists

Bhima Koregaon, Elgar Parishad: One-Sided Probe

01/01/2021

HW English / by Neeta Kolhatkar

Hindu right-wing duo, Milind Ekbote and Manohar Bhide, the two main accused named by Anita Sawle in her FIR, are obviously still free.
This December 31, it will be three years since the Elgar Parishad held in Shaniwarwada, Pune, historically was considered the seat, of power seat of the Peshwas. The Parishad was attended by intellectuals, lawyers, activists, students, members of the Kabir Kala Manch and other participants.
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Ex-HC judge condemns jailing of Bhima Koregaon activists

01/01/2021

Deccan Herald / DHNS

The 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence has only increased the popularity of the Bhima Koregaon victory celebrations, retired Karnataka High Court judge H N Naga Mohan Das has said.
Participating in the 203rd historic Bhima Koregaon commemoration event organised virtually by the Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar Studies and Research Centre of Bangalore University, Justice Das on Wednesday condemned the term ‘Urban Naxals’ used on participants of the 2018 incident and the continued imprisonment of some of them.
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Withdraw scurrilous allegations: Sudha Bharadwaj files application against NIA

Withdraw scurrilous allegations: Sudha Bharadwaj files application against NIA

Withdraw scurrilous allegations: Sudha Bharadwaj files application against NIA and its lawyers

29/12/2020

Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi

She has stated that the Court should not be reduced to a forum of gossip and slander under the guise of legal arguments.
Bhima Koregaon case accused Sudha Bharadwaj has filed an application in the Special NIA Court at Mumbai praying for the withdrawal of the allegations made against her in the reply filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
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Sudha Bharadwaj requests NIA to withdraw ‘defamatory’ remark

29/12/2020

Free Press Journal / by Bhavna Uchil

Activist Sudha Bharadwaj made an application before the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday, seeking that court direct the agency and its prosecutor withdraw their “defamatory” remark against her.
On December 10, Bharadwaj had made a plea seeking copies of witness statements in which the identities of witnesses and their addresses be protected as allowed by law, but the contents of the statements not be truncated in various portions. Her plea had said that the truncation is obstructing her defence as the statements are not making sense with the truncations.
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Special court directs NIA to supply statements of witnesses to Sudha Bharadwaj

29/12/2020

Goa Cronicle / by GC News Desk

The Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Mumbai directed the NIA to provide copies of the unredacted statements of the witnesses to Bhima Koregaon accused, Sudha Bharadwaj.
The Court said that the statements should be provided without truncation except for the identity and addresses of the witnesses which can be redacted.
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Why is India denying prisoners spectacles and straws?

Why is India denying prisoners spectacles and straws?

BBC News / by Geeta Pandey

Life in prison is expected to be tough.
But in recent weeks, jail authorities in India have been called out for being especially cruel to prisoners, particularly the government’s critics who are described as “human rights defenders” by international rights groups.
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Varavara Rao to remain in hospital; Bombay HC to hear poet’s bail plea on Jan 7

Varavara Rao to remain in hospital; Bombay HC to hear poet’s bail plea on Jan 7

P Varavara Rao to stay at Nanavati Hospital till January 7: Bombay HC

22/12/2020

Hindustan Times / by K A Y Dodhiya

The Bombay high court (HC) has directed the state government and National Investigation Agency (NIA) to let Telugu poet and accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case, P Varavara Rao stay in Nanavati Hospital till the next hearing on January 7, 2021.
The court, while taking note of the 82-year-old’s current health status asked the hospital to submit the latest health report before the next hearing, and also announced that it would hear the pleas on the next date of hearing as the same was pending for some time now.
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Varavara Rao to remain in Nanavati hospital; Bombay HC to hear ailing poet’s bail plea on Jan 7

21/12/2020

The Leaflet / by The Leaflet

The Bombay High Court Monday directed the Nanavati hospital to submit a fresh report to the Court indicating the health status of Dr. PV Varavara Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case.
A division bench of Justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik also ordered Dr. Rao’s continued treatment at Nanavati hospital till the next date of hearing i.e. January 7, 2021.
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Varavara Rao to remain in Nanavati Hospital till January 7 as Bombay HC adjourns his bail plea

21/12/2020

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

The Bombay High Court on Monday extended Telugu poet and activist Varavara Rao’s stay at Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai till January 7, 2021, reported Bar and Bench. Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, has been at the private medical facility since mid-November.
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VV’s Update from Hospital / Varavara Rao to remain at Nanavati hospital till Dec 21

VV’s Update from Hospital / Varavara Rao to remain at Nanavati hospital till Dec 21

VV’s Update from Hospital

16/12/2020

Release the Poet / by N Venugopal

Prisoned Peoples’ Poet Varavara Rao is doing far better now. Hospital care, nursing, regular check-ups, medication have helped a lot. Meeting his own people everyday, even if for an hour a day, reading Telugu after two years added strength. Still physical weakness persists; post-covid issues are there. Sending back to jail might aggravate this again.
We have to see what happens on Dec 21 court hearing…

Varavara Rao’s health better, hospital stay to continue till Bombay HC decides on bail plea

16/12/2020

India Today / by Vidya

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has told the Bombay High Court that jailed activist Varavara Rao is fit enough to be sent back to jail. Varavara Rao was moved to a hospital over his ailing health.
During the hearing, Varavara Rao’s lawyers sought bail for him… While trying to emphasise that granting bail to Varavara Rao would not mean that he would run away from the trial, Anand Grover said, “He has been tried for 24 cases in his lifetime which is not a joke for anyone and he has been acquitted in all of them. He has been chargesheeted and acquitted. He never absconded and has stood trial and he will stand trial here as well and that should be considered while granting him bail.”
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Varavara Rao to remain at Nanavati hospital till Dec 21: Bombay HC

15/12/2020

The Indian Express / by Express News Service

Varavara Rao, who is lodged at Taloja Central Jail, was shifted to the private hospital following a court order on November 18.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday allowed Telugu writer-poet Varavara Rao, arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Elgaar Parishad case, to remain at Nanavati hospital in Mumbai till the next hearing on December 21.
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Bombay HC extends Varavara Rao’s hospital stay, NIA says he is fit to go back to jail

15/12/2020

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

During the hearing, Rao’s counsels pleaded that he be permitted to go back to his home in Hyderabad for treatment.
The National Investigation Agency on Tuesday told the Bombay High Court that Telugu poet and activist Varavara Rao, accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, was “fit enough” to be shifted back to the Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai from a private hospital where he is currently admitted, PTI reported.
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Should Gautam Navlakha’s House Arrest In 2018 Be Included For Computing Period For Default Bail?

Should Gautam Navlakha’s House Arrest In 2018 Be Included For Computing Period For Default Bail?

Live Law / by Live Law News Network

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday reserved judgment on the appeal filed by Gautam Navlakha, accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, challenging the order of NIA court granting extension of time under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act( UAPA) for filing chargesheet.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Navlakha, submitted that the extension application under Section 43D(2) of UAPA was filed by the NIA on the the 110th day of his custody. Since the application was filed beyond the period of 90 days, Navlakha was entitled to get default bail, Sibal submitted.
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Post unlockdown: Prison population increases to 31,000 in Maharashtra

Post unlockdown: Prison population increases to 31,000 in Maharashtra


Drawing by Arun Ferreira

The Indian Express / by Sadaf Modak

While at one point during the lockdown, the inmate population had reduced to nearly 24,000 – a little over its official capacity of 23,217 – nearly half of the state’s prisons are overcrowded again, some housing inmates more than double their capacities…
Five of the six prisons are overcrowded. At Taloja jail, which had fewer inmates than its capacity of 2,124 before the lockdown, now has 4,080 inmates. The jail, which has inmates including the 10 male accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor, ICICI Bank-Videocon case’s Deepak Kochhar, continues to receive most of the new arrests from four districts.
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