While the speakers at the event expressed concerns about the misuse of technology as experienced in the Bhima Koregaon episode, where malware was used to trap activists, their speeches ended on a positive note.
In December 2019, a year and a half after the arrest of 16 activists in the Bhima Koregaon case, the then editor of the Caravan magazine, Vinod Jose, got a copy of the hard disk of the laptop used by Rona Wilson, from where an ‘incriminating’ email that led to the arrests was ‘found’. Vinod, sitting at a seminar on media freedom and technology at the Freedom Fest – a technology-related event organised by the government of Kerala – spoke of the Caravan’s discovery of a malware that was planted in Rona’s hard disk, which could plant or ferret out any information from the laptop, without his knowledge. Read more
Courts should scrutinise the case of the investigating agency and if it lacks credibility, act against the investigating officer, said Justice Madan B Lokur.
On July 28, the Supreme Court granted bail to activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, who are among the 16 people arrested in the Elgar-Parishad Bhima Koregaon case in 2018. The Supreme Court’s significant observations include the “weak probative value” of primary evidence in the case and the “mere possession” of literature that inspires or propagates violence not being offences under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Read more
Words speak the unvarnished truth in this anthology representing six decades of Varavara Rao’s career as a poet.
Telugu poet and activist Varavara Rao is a thin, wiry man with the kind of leanness that Julius Caesar found scary in Cassius in Shakespeare’s play. Rao was arrested in 2018 on charges of inciting caste violence and plotting to assassinate the Indian Prime Minister (and released on bail in 2022 on health grounds). The publication of this anthology of Rao’s poetry has been much delayed reportedly because of legal issues. Some words used by Rao have apparently been removed from the translation to avoid attracting the charge of sedition. Read more
Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves were released after 5 years in jail!
Join our discussion on their bail order and to understand its implications! How can we advocate for the release of all political prisoners arrested under UAPA?
Discussing the Supreme Court’s decision in granting bail to activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferriera accused in connection with the Elgaar Parishad case, members from People’s Union for Civil Liberties said the bail order has significant implications for bail jurisprudence under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, UAPA, in the framework of criminal law.
The members highlighted the top court’s bail-granting powers under the UAPA, which flows from the Zahood Ahmad Watali judgment. Read more
en | 1h 42min | 2022
The discussion moderated by PUCL General Secretary, V Suresh, Arvind Narrain, VP Karnataka State PUCL and Kavita Srivastava, National Secretary PUCL Watch video (PUCL fb page)
NIA claims fact-finding conducted by Gautam Navlakha was sponsored to further terrorist activities
09/08/2023
The Leaflet / by Sarah Thanawala
The National Investigation Agency has also claimed that the perception of resistance from members of the banned organisation Communist Party of India (Maoist) against Navlakha was deliberately created.
On Wednesday, a division Bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justices A.S. Gadkari and Shivkumar Dige continued hearing the bail application filed by journalist and human rights activist Gautam Navlakha. Read more
NIA emphasises charges of conspiracy and common intention to further terrorist activities against Gautam Navlakha
08/08/2023
The Leaflet / by Sarah Thanawala
The National Investigation Agency argued that the individual roles of the accused persons in the Bhima Koregaon case should not be looked into in isolation from the larger conspiracy.
On Monday, a division Bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justices A.S. Gadkari and Shivkumar Dige continued hearing the bail application filed by journalist and human rights activist Gautam Navlakha. Read more
Gautam Navlakha part of urban naxal movement which arranges manpower, funds for rural naxal struggle: NIA to Bombay High Court
08/08/2023
Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi
Responding to Navlakha’s claims that he was not involved in any violent acts for seeking bail in the Bhima Koregaon case of 2018, ASG Devang Vyas argued that Navlakha was assigned a role in the larger conspiracy.
Human rights activist and journalist Gautam Navlakha was part of an urban movement to arrange for logistics for the rural naxal movement, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) told the Bombay High Court on Monday while opposing Navlakha’s bail application. Read more
The National Investigation Agency opposed the bail plea of Elgar Parishad case accused, Gautam Navlakha, in the Bombay High Court.
Opposing the bail plea of Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, the National Investigation Agency told the Bombay High Court that Navlakha was part of “Urban Naxals” to arrange logistics for Naxal movements in rural areas. Read more
PUDR welcomes the release on bail of Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira today, but protests onerous bail conditions
05/08/2023
pudr.org / by Peoples Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR))
People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) welcomes the Supreme Court order granting bail on merits and release of Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, two of the accused in the infamous Bhima Koregaon case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
In a significant judgement, on 28 July 2023, the top court granted bail for two primary reasons: the fact that the accused had already been incarcerated for 5 years with the trial not having commenced yet, and that the NIA had been unable to justify, even prima facie, the allegations against them.
… However, what is even more disturbing is that the apex court has allowed for further conditions to be set by the special trial court, conditions that the latter may “consider fit and proper”. Accordingly, on July 31, the special NIA court has set further conditions which prohibit the duo from: Read full statement:
By Meera Sanghamitra / @meeracomposes (Aug 5, 2023)
Activists #VernonGonsalves & #ArunFerreira, walk out of jail finally! Small mercies after unjust incarceration over 5 long years! Zindabad, Salaam, Arun & Vernon! Ur beautiful smiles despite so much of injustice, puts this entire system to shame!
#FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners
Bombay High Court hears fresh bail plea of Gautam Navlakha
04/08/2023
The Leaflet / by Sarah Thanawala
Advocate Yug Chaudhry, representing Gautam Navalkha, sought parity with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court granting bail to co-accused Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira. Chaudhry took the court through the material cited by the National Investigation Agency, claiming there was no evidence to prove the commission of any “terrorist act” by Navlakha.
On Friday, a division Bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justices A.S. Gadkari and Shivkumar Dige heard a fresh bail application filed by journalist and human rights activist Gautam Navlakha.
… The matter is posted for further hearing on August 7. Read more
‘If I write mercy plea for Kasab…’: Elgar parishad accused asks Bombay High Court
03/08/2023
India Today / by Vidya
Gautam Navlakha has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He has been behind bars since the last three and half years and is currently under house arrest.
The bail plea hearing of Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, began before the bench of Justices AS Gadkari and SG Dige on Thursday. Advocate Yug Mohit Chaudhari, representing Navlakha, raised significant concerns regarding the charges levied against the activist under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including waging war against the country and conspiracy. Read more
Poet, critic, and translator Venugopal Rao opens up about Varavara Rao, the iconic Telugu poet-activist
Poet, critic, journalist, public speaker, and translator N. Venugopal Rao has an impressive tally of 32 books in both Telugu and English, and an equal number in translation, to his credit. After having worked as a journalist for two decades, he ventured into publishing Veekshanam, a monthly journal focused on political economy and society.
… In an interview to The Federal, Venugopal Rao shares how Varavara Rao has influenced the socio-political landscape of Telangana through his poetry, the literary magazine he edited, his public speeches, his support to various people’s movements and his association with Naxalbari politics. Read more
“On your 5th birthday in incarceration, Shoma…we will fight for justice,“ says a post by Thusharkanti Bhattacharya, for his wife who is one of the 16 accused in Bhima Koregaon case. With the message he also posted her picture that was published in a Bangali journal Azaadi which carried an article on various political prisoners. Read more
