free them all

Gautam Navlakha Gets Bail, But the Elgar Parishad Ordeal Continues

16/05/2024

The Wire / by Mekhala Saran

‘We are really hopeful now but also angry that a clearly innocent man has to remain in jail.’
On Tuesday, May 14, the Supreme Court finally refused to continue enabling the prolonged incarceration of septuagenarian activist and journalist Gautam Navlakha.
Noting that the trial would take “years and years and years for its completion,” the Supreme Court refused to extend its stay on the Bombay high court’s order granting bail to Navlakha. But the apex court only arrived at their decision — “no need for extending the interim order of stay,” it said — after Navlakha had already suffered over four years of incarceration. This includes a period of four months after the Bombay high court had already found that there was no material to implicate him under terrorism-related charges.
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Gautam Navlakha granted bail by Supreme Court; orders him to pay 20 lakhs for the expenses incurred during his house arrest

15/05/2024

cjp.org / by CJP Team

Noting that trial may take years to complete, SC bench of Justices MM Sundresh and SVN Bhatti refused to extend the stay on Navlakha’s bail
On May 14, the Supreme Court bench of Justices MM Sundresh and SVN Bhatti granted bail to Gautam Navlakha in Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case, arguing that the accused has already undergone 4 years of incarceration and the trial may take “years and years and years” to complete.
The Supreme Court did not extend the stay on the bail, noting that the charges are yet to be framed and six of the co-accused in the case have already secured bail.
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Supreme Court Lifts Stay on Bail Granted to Gautam Navlakha in Elgar Parishad Case

14/05/2024

The Wire / by The Wire Staff

Navlakha had been arrested on April 14, 2020. Since November 10, 2022, he has been under house arrest in Mumbai.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (May 14) lifted the stay on the bail granted to rights activist Gautam Navlakha, who was arrested in the Elgar Parishad case. The Bombay High Court had granted Navlakha bail on December 19 last year, but the court had then agreed to a three-week stay on its decision in which the National Investigation Agency could approach the Supreme Court.
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Gautam Navlakha gets bail as Supreme Court lifts stay on Bombay High Court order

14/05/2024

Bar & Bench / by Abhimanyu Hazarika

A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and SVN Bhatti refrained from extending the stay as the High Court order was detailed and also because the trial would take years to complete.
Gautam Navlakha, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case of 2018, got bail on Tuesday after the Supreme Court lifted the stay on the Bombay High Court order granting bail to the activist.
A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and SVN Bhatti refrained from extending the stay as the High Court order was detailed and also because the trial would take years to complete.
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Supreme Court grants bail to activist Gautam Navlakha in Elgaar Parishad case

14/05/2024

The Indian Express / by Express Web Service

The court also said that Navlakha has to pay Rs 20 lakh towards expenses for the security he availed during his house arrest.
Four years after his arrest, the Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to activist Gautam Navlakha in the Elgaar Parishad case.
The court granted bail considering Navlakha’s age and that trial will not be over anytime soon. The court also noted that some of the co-accused in the case have been granted bail.
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Human rights activist Gautam Navlakha gets bail in Bhima Koregaon case

14/05/2024

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

The 70-year-old activist, arrested in August 2018, has been under house arrest since November 2022.
Human rights activist Gautam Navlakha was on Tuesday granted bail by the Supreme Court in the Bhima Koregaon case, Bar and Bench reported.
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and SVN Bhatti granted the bail subject to the payment of Rs 20 lakh towards the cost of Navlakha’s security during his house arrest.
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‘Trial will take years & years & years:’ SC grants bail to Bhima Koregaon accused Gautam Navlakha

14/05/2024

The Print / by The Print Team

The top court noted the former journalist was in jail for 4 years already, and that charges in the case were yet to be framed.
The Supreme Court Tuesday granted bail to activist Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, observing that the trial in the case was not likely to end any time soon.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and S.V.N. Bhatti said Navlakha had been incarcerated for more than four years and that the trial would take “years and years and years” to complete.
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Also read:
▪ ‘Ominous portents’: Why High Court staying its own bail orders in Bhima Koregaon case is troubling (Scroll.in / Dec 2023)
▪ Bombay High Court grants, stays bail to Gautam Navlakha (The Leaflet / Dec 2023)

by Bar and Bench / @barandbench (May 7, 2024):

Supreme Court to continue hearing case regarding house arrest terms of activist Gautam Navlakha, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case.

NIA’s appeal against Bombay HC order granting him regular bail in the matter to also be heard.

Thread by Live Law / @LiveLawIndia (May 7, 2024):

#SupremeCourt to hear Bhima Koregaon-accused Gautam Navlakha’s plea for shifting his house arrest location in Mumbai.

Navlakha, a journalist and activist, was arrested on April 14, 2020.

Owing to his ill health, the Supreme Court placed him under house arrest in November 2022.

Counsel: Mr. Raju is arguing part heard in Court No. 2. It Might take a day.

Senior Advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan: That Court is sitting until 1 PM…He is 72 years old…this is not fair; last time, I did not say anything. We cannot continue like this.

Counsel: ASG is on legs in some other courts.

Court: He (ASG) has not shown an appearance till now. Every time matter goes on pass over.

However, Counsel requests short accommodation.

The court suggested the matter to be listed next week.

After citing practical difficulties to be listed on miscellaneous working days, the court listed the matter as Tuesday (next week).

On the request of Sr. Adv. Nitya Ramakrishnan, the court provided the last opportunity of hearing to ASG appearing for NIA.

Also read:
▪ SC defers NIA appeal against Bombay HC’s bail to Gautam Navlakha to May 7 (The New Indian Express / April 30, 2024)