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Bhima Koregaon: Who’s who of those arrested and the developments in the case pertaining to each

Bhima Koregaon: Who’s who of those arrested and the developments in the case pertaining to each

The Leaflet / by Sarah Thanwala

In the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case, leading activists, lawyers, scholars and artists have been arrested without trial under the charges of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (‘UAPA’). According to the police, allegedly provocative statements and speeches made at the Elgar Parishad meeting in Pune on December 31, 2017, instigated the violence at Bhima Koregaon the following day on January 1, 2018 that led to death of one and injuries to several others …

The Leaflet brings to its readers a brief profile of each of the arrested persons, and the developments in the case pertaining to each.
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PUCL welcomes the initial step towards the complete repeal of the colonial law of Sedition

PUCL welcomes the initial step towards the complete repeal of the colonial law of Sedition

PUCL welcomes the initial step towards the complete repeal of the colonial law of Sedition

12/05/2022

By Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)

Press release
The Peoples Union for Civil Liberties welcomes the order of the Supreme Court dated 11.05.22 in the petition filed by Army veteran Major-General SG Vombatkere (Retired) as well as PUCL and a range of other petitioners challenging the constitutional validity of Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.  In its petition, the PUCL had pleaded that owing to the development of constitutional law, the law of sedition of the colonial era had no place; it was overbroad, vague, arbitrary, violating the sacrosanct freedom of speech and expression, hence it was imperative to strike it down as it was unconstitutional.
Read full statement

Will SC’s Sedition Order Mean Relief for Delhi Riots, Bhima Koregaon Accused?

12/05/2022

The Quint / by Mekhala Saran

Simply put: the Supreme Court’s order in the pleas challenging the sedition law is unlikely to do so. Here’s why…
“I have every right to criticise the government. BJP-RSS do not constitute country. They do not constitute nation. They have taken a jibe against Modi, against his policies. How is this sedition?” Advocate Nihalsingh Rathod, appearing for Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkha — two of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon case — had told a special court in November 2021.
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Suspending sedition: No cause for celebration

13/05/2022

Deccan Herald / by Shikha Mukerjee

There really is no cause for celebration after the conditional suspension of the infamous Section 124 A, otherwise known as the Sedition Act of 1870. The statute books have so many other equally infamous laws, starting with the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act amended and strengthened in 2019, and the 2019 expansion of the National Investigation Agency Act that dumping a “colonial-era” law and claims to be respectful of human rights and liberties is a phoney gesture.
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Bombay High Court rejects default bail plea of Varavara Rao and seven other accused

Bombay High Court rejects default bail plea of Varavara Rao and seven other accused

Bombay High Court rejects default bail plea of Varavara Rao and seven other accused

04/05/2022

The Leaflet / by Sabah Gurmat

The Bombay High Court earlier today dismissed a petition filed by eight activists, academics and lawyers accused in the Bhima Koregaon (Elgar Parishad) violence case, who sought review of an earlier order which dismissed their appeal for default bail.
A plea seeking default bail was filed by P. Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen, Rona Wilson, Mahesh Raut and Surendra Gadling.
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Bombay HC Says Won’t Review Refusal of Default Bail to 3 Activists

04/05/2022

The Wire / by The Wire Staff

Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves’ petition said the high court’s previous order was based on a “factual error”.
The Bombay high court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by Varavara Rao and two other activists, arrested in the Elgar Parishad case, seeking a review of an earlier order of the high court which refused them default bail.
The high court said it finds it difficult to hold there was any factual error in its earlier judgement and requires a review.
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Bombay HC Rejects Review Plea Seeking Default Bail To Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves & Arun Ferreira

04/05/2022

Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim

The Bombay High Court has rejected a review application filed by three accused in the Bhima Koregaon – Elgar Parishad Case seeking bail and factual corrections in the order refusing them default bail.
The court disposed of a review application filed by the three, seeking factual corrections in the order refusing them default bail and subsequently release.
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Bombay High Court rejects default bail plea of Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves

04/05/2022

Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi

The review application by Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves claimed there was factual error in the High Court’s December 2021 judgment, which if not rectified, will lead to “gross miscarriage of justice”.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday rejected the plea filed by three accused Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves in the Bhima Koregaon case seeking review of the High Court’s December 2021 judgment refusing them default bail. [P Varavara Rao & Ors. v. State of Maharashtra & Anr.]
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Also read:
● Eight Accused Approach HC, Say Denial of Default Bail Based on ‘Factual Error’ (The Wire / Dec 2021)
● ‘Had Sought Default Bail Like Sudha Bharadwaj’: 8 Bhima-Koregaon Accused Approach Bombay HC Claiming ‘Factual Error’ In Judgment (Live Law / Dec 2021)

The condition of the industrial working class in the 75th year of independence

The condition of the industrial working class in the 75th year of independence


Poster by ReleaseSudhaBharadwaj.net

The Leaflet / by Sudha Bharadwaj

The Indian working class was a proud participant in the anti-imperialist struggle against British rule in India. Whether it was the six-day strike of the working class of Mumbai in 1908 – one day for each year of the sentence of Bal Gangadhar Tilak; the attempts of the Ghadar Party organised by Punjabi immigrant workers in Canada, who sailed to India in 1914 to overthrow the British; the four-day old Solapur Commune of 1930, when the workers took over the city …
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Also read/listen to:
● Podcast: Interview with Sudha Bharadwaj, Bhima Koregaon Accused and Human Rights Lawyer (30:48min | Scroll.in | Feb 2022)
● If You Try to Be Safe and in the Middle, You Will Never Succeed: Sudha Bharadwaj. Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, the organisation Sudha Bharadwaj has worked with for decades, built a unique model of trade unionism combining class struggle with welfarism. (The Wire | Nov 1, 2021)

India among top 10 countries to jail writers, academics in 2021, shows Pen America’s report

India among top 10 countries to jail writers, academics in 2021, shows Pen America’s report

India figures on list of top 10 ten countries that jail writers, academics & intellectuals

16/04/2022

The Federal / by The Federal

The 2021 Freedom to Write report recently published by Pen America, an NGO, has detailed the arrests of eight people in the country, which includes comedian Munawar Faruqui and those arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case.
India has the dubious distinction of figuring among the top ten list of countries that jail writers, academics and intellectual for their writings, works and advocacy.
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India among top 10 countries to jail writers, academics in 2021, shows Pen America’s report

15/04/2022

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

This is ‘one element of the ruling party’s attempts to quash dissent and entrench political control’, the United States non-profit organisation said.
… According to the report published on Wednesday, 277 writers and academics were detained or in prison in 36 countries last year. Of them, eight are from India – comedian Munawar Faruqui and Bhima Koregaon accused persons Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Hany Babu, Gautam Navlakha, Arun Ferreira and Anand Teltumbde.
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PEN America’s Writers at Risk Database (India, 2021)

Also read:
● International Mother Language Day: Take Action for Hany Babu (Pen International | Feb 2022)
● Joint Statement: Freedom for Varavara Rao (Pen International | Oct 2021)
● A Dark Day for Democracy and Freedom of Expression (Pen International | Aug 2018)

Legal Aid System In Prisons Ineffective; Many Languish In Jails Because Of This: Sudha Bharadwaj

Legal Aid System In Prisons Ineffective; Many Languish In Jails Because Of This: Sudha Bharadwaj

Live Law / by Mehal Jain

“I think that all of us must collectively fight for the stronger legal aid system. Without that, Article 21 and 39A do not exist for people in the jails”
Civil rights lawyer and activist Sudha Bharadwaj in a recent webinar spoke about the lack of effective legal aid system in prisons.
Ms.Bharadwaj, who spent as undertrial in the Bhima Koregaon case for over three years before she was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in December 2021, recounted her experiences in prison. She gave a direct account of the difficulties faced by several prisoners, especially those hailing from marginalised sections, in availing legal remedies. She also said that during her custody period she personally wrote hundreds of bail applications for fellow prisoners.
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Video: The Conditions of Prisoners in Indian Jails

26/03/2022


en | 1:21:23 | 2022

By All India Lawyers’ Association for Justice – AILAJ

The huge number of undertrials, the overcrowding, and the disproportional numbers of Dalit, Muslim and Adivasi prisoners are part of the prison problem in India.
We are joined by Adv. Sudha Bharadwaj for a discussion on the Conditions of Prisoners in Indian Jails.
Watch video

Video: In Conversation with Sudha Bharadwaj – The Conditions of Prisoners in Indian Jails

Video: In Conversation with Sudha Bharadwaj – The Conditions of Prisoners in Indian Jails

By All India Lawyers’ Association for Justice – AILAJ

The huge number of undertrials, the overcrowding, and the disproportional numbers of Dalit, Muslim and Adivasi prisoners are part of the prison problem in India.
We are joined by Adv. Sudha Bharadwaj for a discussion on the Conditions of Prisoners in Indian Jails.

en | 1:21:23 | 2022
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‘Corporate is supporting communal agenda’: Sudha Bharadwaj

‘Corporate is supporting communal agenda’: Sudha Bharadwaj


hindi | 48:02min | 2022

By Satya Hindi

Was the corporate world the reason for the arrest of Sudha Bharadwaj, a social worker who fought for the underprivileged? Was there a conspiracy to implicate him in the Bhima Koregaon case? How was her experience during his three years in prison? How does she view the current times for socio-economic movements? Does she expect times to change? Dr. Mukesh Kumar talking to Sudha Bhardwaj.
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Surendra Gadling permitted use of laptop in prison / Prosecution to hand over cloned copies

Surendra Gadling permitted use of laptop in prison / Prosecution to hand over cloned copies

Elgar Parishad case accused gets nod to use computer in jail

17/03/2022

Times of India / by TNN

The special NIA court on Wednesday allowed lawyer Surendra Gadling an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, to use a computer in jail for an hour, two days a week. Gadling had sought access to his laptop, submitting that he wanted to prepare his defence.
Meanwhile, the prosecution is to hand over the cloned copies of all the pieces of electronic evidence gathered in the case to the accused.
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Surendra Gadling permitted use of laptop in prison

16/03/2022

Free Press Journal / by Staff Reporter

A special court under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act has permitted the use of a laptop in Taloja jail for Bhima Koregaon accused and lawyer Surendra Gadling.
Gadling had sought to be allowed the use of the device as he is appearing in person in the case.
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Court allows Elgar case accused Gadling to use jail computer

16/03/2022

The Print / by pti

A special NIA court here on Wednesday allowed advocate Surendra Gadling, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, to use computer available in the prison where he is lodged, for an hour two days a week…
Meanwhile, the court allowed a plea of another accused, lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj who is currently on bail, to reside in Mumbai’s suburb of Oshiwara…
The court also granted a petition of Jyoti Jagtap, a co-accused, to receive a set of books.
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Making legal aid effective for women prisoners / Sudha Bhardwaj on the time spent with women in prison

Making legal aid effective for women prisoners / Sudha Bhardwaj on the time spent with women in prison

Making legal aid effective for women prisoners

08/03/2022

The Leaflet / by Sudha Bharadwaj

If we are to do any justice to the Constitutional mandate of equality before law, and the right to legal representation, we must put in place a mechanism to provide competent and effective legal aid to all those who cannot afford it, particularly to those languishing in jail.
was in Byculla Jail, Mumbai, between February 2020 and December 2021. Prior to that, in Yerwada Jail, where I was lodged between November 2018 to February 2020, I had given an application to be permitted to help with legal aid, but that was refused, possibly since I and my co-accused Professor Shoma Sen, were lodged in separate cells in the Phansi Yard.
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Lawyer activist Sudha Bhardwaj on the time spent with women in prison

08/03/2022

National Herald / by Sudha Bharadwaj

Legal aid is a right guaranteed by the Constitution but it is virtually nonexistent and ineffective, recalls the lawyer-activist, who spent three years in jail as an accused in the Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case. Many inmates cannot follow the language and are not even aware of the name of their lawyer despite having signed the Vakalatnama. The judiciary needs to take a good, hard look at those who are in ‘judicial custody’.
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Also read:
● Sudha Bhardwaj and Shoma Sen extend solidarity to Women’s March from jail (Sabrang / March 2019)