Recalling the first set of arrests made in the questionable Bhima Koregaon violence case almost exactly three years ago, Nihalsing B Rathod, in this first of a three-part series, recollects the personal horrors of trying to track Surendra Gadling in the immediate aftermath of his arrest, details the events leading to the arrest of five more activists in August 2018, and explains how basic tenets of criminal law were violated by the Pune Police in making these arrests.
The morning of June 6, 2018, gave me a horrific memory that perhaps will never fade. Early in the morning, I received a phone call that police were at the house of Advocate Surendra Gadling again. The memory of the raid of April 17, 2018, was still fresh. Read more
Chronology of harassment against human rights defender Sudha Bharadwaj
Today marks exactly 1000 days since human rights lawyer & activist Sudha Bharadwaj was arrested & detained on fabricated charges.
Sudha Bharadwaj, aged 59, is a human rights lawyer and activist who has spent her life defending Indigenous people in India and protecting workers’ rights. She has been in pre-trial detention since August 2018, when she was arrested under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on trumped up accusations of having links with Maoist terrorist organisations, based on evidence believed to be fabricated. Read more
All you need to know about the 16 accused, 3 charge sheets, and the controversial narrative surrounding the case.
When exactly did the Bhima Koregaon case, as it has come to be known, begin?
Was it on the day the first set of activists were arrested, back in June 2018? Was it the day when malware was allegedly planted on the computers of at least one of the accused, two years before that? Or do we have to go all the way back to the Battle of Bhima Koregaon itself to understand what’s really going on with this case?
And when will this case, which has dragged on for nearly three years with a trial nowhere in sight, end? Read more
Video: The case against the Bhima Koregaon political prisoners
Sixteen individuals across India have been arrested since 6 June 2018 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). They are human rights defenders working for the democratic rights of India’s poorest and most oppressed: Dalits, Adivasis, indigenous people, and women. All of them have been outspoken critics of Hindutva. Watch video
From FIR to Malware Claims: A Timeline of the Bhima Koregaon Case
When exactly did the Bhima Koregaon case, as it has come to be known, begin?
Was it on the day the first set of activists were arrested, back in June 2018? Was it the day when malware was allegedly planted on the computers of at least one of the accused, two years before that? Or do we have to go all the way back to the Battle of Bhima Koregaon itself to understand what’s really going on with this case?
Here’s a complete timeline of this controversial case: from its origins in a dodgy FIR, to the moment the Supreme Court could have nipped all this in the bud; and from the filing of 3 charge sheets, to the 16 arrests made under its vague and dubious mandate. Read more
Elgar Parishad tomorrow after 3 yrs — arrests, controversies and significance of the event
The Elgar Parishad, which commemorates the battle of Bhima Koregaon, was last held in Pune between 31 December 2017 and 1 January 2018.
Three years after it led to violence and the arrests of a number of activists, the Elgar Parishad event is to be held at Pune on 30 January this year.
The Pune Police has granted permission for the event, which commemorates the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. The Elgar Parishad was last held between 31 December 2017 and 1 January 2018. Read more
Podcast: Bhima Koregoan violence – Three years on, Activists remain arrested and justice remain awaited
Three years after the caste violence in Bhima Koregoan, 16 human right activists have been arrested under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in connection with the case. Multiple conspiracy theories have been laid out by the police but it may be long before they are proved and the guilty is punished.
Professor Apoorvanand from Delhi University and Harish Vasudevan, an advocate practicing at Kerala High court share their insights for the story. Listen to podcast (11:00min)
Bhima Koregaon case: Three years of legal and rights violations
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. Read more
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. Read more
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. Read more
Organisers of Elgar Parishad say accused are denied basic human rights
On Human Rights Day, retired judges say intellectuals have been implicated for speaking against the government.
It is close to three years that intellectuals, activists and lawyers were arrested in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. Retired judges, who organised the Elghar Parishad event, say, “All those accused in the case are not connected with it but they have been implicated because they have spoken against the government. They are denied basic human rights.” Read more
