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Bombay High Court Grants Bail To Surendra Gadling After Almost Eight Years In Jail

Bombay High Court Grants Bail To Surendra Gadling After Almost Eight Years In Jail

By Maktoob / @MaktoobMedia (May 5):
Despite bail, Gadling will remain in custody due to his continued detention in the Surajgarh arson case under UAPA provisions, Bar and Bench reported.

Eight years in jail without trial: HC grants bail to lawyer Surendra Gadling in Elgar Parishad case

05/05/2026

Hindustan Times / by Karuna Nidhi

The Bombay High Court on Monday granted bail to Surendra Gadling, a lawyer known for defending human rights activists, Dalits and Adivasis, in the 2018 Elgar Parishad–Bhima Koregaon case, citing his prolonged incarceration of over eight years and the principle of parity with co-accused.
However, Gadling, lodged at Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai, is unlikely to be released immediately, as he remains in custody in connection with another case linked to a suspected Maoist attack.
Read more

After Almost Eight Years of Pre-trial Jail, Surendra Gadling Given Bail in Elgar Parishad Case

04/05/2026

The Wire / by The Wire Staff

Gadling, however, will remain in custody as he faces a separate arson case in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district.
On June 6 this year, Surendra Gadling, a prominent human rights lawyer from Nagpur, would have completed eight years in prison in the controversial Elgar Parishad case, without a trial and despite multiple rounds of bail applications. A division bench of the Bombay high court, comprising Justices Ajay Gadkari and Kamal Khata, finally granted him bail on Monday (May 4) on grounds of prolonged incarceration.
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Bombay High Court Grants Bail To Surendra Gadling After 8 Years In Jail

04/05/2026

Live Law / by Narsi Benwal

The Bombay High Court on Monday granted bail to lawyer-activist Surendra Gadling, who is in prison from June 6, 2018 in Bhima-Koregaon – Elgar Parishad case, considering his long incarceration. He is the last among the 16 persons named in the case to be in prison.
A division bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata dictated order in the open court granting bail to Gadling on usual conditions, as imposed by the special court on other co-accused like Hany Babu.
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Bhima Koregaon trial yet to start: Bombay HC grants bail to Surendra Gadling after 8 years in jail

04/05/2026

Bar & Bench / by Bar & Bench

Despite bail in the Bhima Koregaon case, Surendra Gadling will remain in custody due to his continued detention in the Surajgarh arson case under UAPA provisions.
The Bombay High Court on Monday granted bail to advocate Surendra Gadling, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case of 2018 [Surendra Gadling v. State of Maharashtra & Anr.].
A division bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata noted that Gadling has spent over 8 years in custody and the trial in the matter is yet to commence.
Prolonged incarceration as an undertrial prisoner is a ground for relief, the Court said.
A detailed order is awaited.
Read more

Bhima Koregaon case: Lawyer Surendra Gadling granted bail

04/05/2026

Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff

However, he will remain in jail as his bail application in a 2016 arson case is pending before the Supreme Court.
The Bombay High Court on Monday granted bail to lawyer Surendra Gadling in the Bhima Koregaon case, saying that prolonged incarceration as an undertrial prisoner is a ground for relief, Bar and Bench reported.
Gadling had spent more than eight years in custody, said a bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata, adding that the trial in the matter was yet to begin.
Read more

Bombay High Court grants bail to activist Surendra Gadling, the only Elgaar Parishad accused remaining in jail

04/05/2026

The Indian Express / by Omkar Gokhale

However, Surendra Gadling will remain in custody as he has yet to get bail in the 2016 Surajgarh arson case.
The Bombay High Court on Monday granted bail to the Elgaar Parishad case accused Surendra Gadling, the only accused remaining in jail in the case. However, he is likely to remain in custody at Taloja Central prison, as he has not got bail in the 2016 Surajgarh arson case and his plea is pending in the Supreme Court.
Read more

Also read:
▪ 7 yrs in jail, charges framed against Surendra Gadling in Surajgarh arson case. What Bombay HC told SC (The Print / Apr 2026)
▪ Justice Chandurkar Recuses From Hearing Surendra Gadling’s Bail Plea In Gadchiroli Arson Case (Live Law / Apr 2026)
▪ Explained: The 2016 Surjagarh arson case, the Elgaar link, and why the Supreme Court is intervening now (The Indian Express / Jan 2026)
▪ Encountering Resistance – State Policy for Development in Gadchiroli (PUDR / June 2018)

OIAD: Surendra Gadling kept in prolonged detention for 8 years

OIAD: Surendra Gadling kept in prolonged detention for 8 years

Pic credits: IAPL

Protect-lawyers.org / by Observatoire International des Avocats en Danger (OIAD)

Mr Surendra Gadling is a lawyer specialising in the defence of human rights and marginalised communities, particularly Dalits and indigenous peoples in India. He has been held in detention for nearly eight years in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case. He is now the only defendant still in prison – the other fifteen people prosecuted in this case have been released on bail.
Gadling was arrested in 2018 and is one of a group of human rights defenders prosecuted for their alleged involvement in violence that occurred in Bhima Koregaon. Several organisations believe that these prosecutions are in fact targeting committed activists and denounce the charges as baseless.
Mr Gadling is also being prosecuted in another case linked to a fire at a mining site in Surajgarh. According to several lawyers, inconsistencies have been identified in the complaint (including the absence of evidence linking him directly to the incident).
Read full statement

Also read:
▪ 7 yrs in jail, charges framed against Surendra Gadling in Surajgarh arson case. What Bombay HC told SC (The Print / Apr 2026)
▪ IAPL demands release of advocate Surendra Gadling from Maharashtra jail (The Sisat Daily / March 2026)
▪ Public Meeting at Press Club of India Demands Release of People’s Lawyer Surendra Gadling (The Mooknayak / March 2026)
▪ IAPL press note about arrest of Advocate Gadling & other people’s activists (Sanhati / June 2018)
▪ Encountering Resistance – State Policy for Development in Gadchiroli (PUDR / June 2018)

The End of Naxalism, the End of Accountability

The End of Naxalism, the End of Accountability

Graphic credits: virasam.org

The Wire / by Nandini Sundar

As the government claims victory over the CPI (Maoist), a more consequential defeat is being obscured: the collapse of constitutional accountability and the normalisation of impunity.
…
Among the many ironies of this confused and legally directionless ‘end of Naxalism’, is the fate of those arrested on charges of being Maoist sympathisers. At one end, we have the human rights lawyer Surendra Gadling who has been in jail since 2018, along with the rest of the BK 16 who are out on bail but still suffer from a protracted trial despite ample proof that police ‘evidence’ was fabricated. At the other end, the youth leaders of the Moolvasi Bachao Manch in Bastar, like Raghu Midiyami, Suneeta Pottam and others, have been jailed for over two years under UAPA, along with some other 40 activists at different times. Even simple rights like an operation to fix Raghu Midiyami’s broken finger are being resisted by the NIA. The MBM waged an entirely constitutional struggle, invoking the 5th Schedule of the Constitution and PESA to defend their lands. Evidently a peaceful movement of locals, in the face of an intensified mining push, is now a greater threat to the national security state than even the Maoists.
Hundreds of other innocent Adivasis continue to languish in jail, going through the tortuous legal system. Stan Swamy was targeted because his PIL in the Jharkhand High Court, based on interviews with 102 undertrials, showed that 97% of those arrested on charges of being Maoist actually had no relation to them.
Read more

Also read:
▪ 7 yrs in jail, charges framed against Surendra Gadling in Surajgarh arson case. What Bombay HC told SC (The Print / Apr 2026)
▪ Voices From Prison | Half-Freedom For Adivasis Jailed On Maoist Allegations (Outlook / Jan 2026)
▪ Voices From Prison | From Forest To Prison, When Security Laws Criminalise Adivasi Resistance (Outlook / Jan 2026)
▪ Will anti-Naxal drive pave way for mining giants? (The New Indian Express / May 2025)
▪ Top intellectual targeted for role as anti-displacement activist, opponent of ‘corporate loot’ (Sep 2024)
▪ Who Is Suneeta Pottam, the Tribal Rights Activist Picked up for Unknown Cases Earlier This Month? (The Wire / Jun 2024)
▪ Encountering Resistance – State Policy for Development in Gadchiroli (PUDR / June 2018)
▪ Condemn the State Sponsored Massacre Scripted as ‘Encounter’ in Gadchiroli and Bijapur in Central India (wssnet.wordpress.com / May 2018)
▪ A study of Undertrials in Jharkhand (Sanhati / by Bagaicha Research Team / Feb 2016)

Convention in Ludhiana raises concerns over detentions, rights issues

Convention in Ludhiana raises concerns over detentions, rights issues

Pic credits: Counterview

Countercurrents / by Harsh Thakor

A convention organised by the Democratic Front Against Green Hunt, Punjab, was held to mark April 8 as a day opposing what participants described as “draconian laws” and to commemorate the legacy of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. …
Resolutions presented by Jaswinder Phagwara were adopted at the convention. … Additional demands included the release of activists and intellectuals in cases such as Bhima Koregaon, the Lucknow conspiracy case and the Delhi violence cases, the release of undertrials and convicts who have completed their sentences, protection of the right to organise and protest, and an end to alleged fake police encounters in Punjab.
Read more

Also read:
▪ 7 yrs in jail, charges framed against Surendra Gadling in Surajgarh arson case. What Bombay HC told SC (The Print / Apr 2026)
▪ Artists, Educators, Publishers Speak Out Against ‘Rising Attempts’ to Stifle Their Voices (The Wire / March 2026)
▪ Voices From Prison | A Legacy Of Detention: Weaponisation Of PDA, TADA, NSA And UAPA Laws Since Independence (Outlook / Jan 2026)
▪ ‘Provincial Convention against Repression’ in Barnala, Punjab (Countercurrents / Jan 2025)

7 yrs in jail, charges framed against Surendra Gadling in Surajgarh arson case. What Bombay HC told SC

7 yrs in jail, charges framed against Surendra Gadling in Surajgarh arson case. What Bombay HC told SC

Surendra Gadling

The Print / by Ruchi Bhattar

The arson case has been linked to the Bhima-Koregaon case. 12-page common order effectively rejects discharge pleas of accused, sets stage for trial to commence.
Charges were framed last month against advocate Surendra Gadling in the Gadchiroli-Surajgarh arson case which has long been stalled and linked with the Bhima Koregaon case, the Supreme Court was told Thursday.
In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench) submitted details of the exact steps taken by the High Court to ensure video conferencing for Surendra Gadling. It said the trial court framed charges in the case on 18 March this year.
Read more

Also read:
▪ Justice Chandurkar Recuses From Hearing Surendra Gadling’s Bail Plea In Gadchiroli Arson Case (Live Law / Apr 2026)
▪ IAPL demands release of advocate Surendra Gadling from Maharashtra jail (The Sisat Daily / March 2026)
▪ 6 yrs, no charges framed—Bhima-Koregaon accused stuck in trial limbo in 2016 Surajgarh arson case (The Print / Sep 2025)
▪ Encountering Resistance – State Policy for Development in Gadchiroli (PUDR / June 2018)
▪ DISINHERITING ADIVASIS – THE GADCHIROLI GAME PLAN (KAFILA / June 2018)

Justice AS Chandurkar recuses from Surendra Galing’s bail plea in Gadchiroli arson case

Justice AS Chandurkar recuses from Surendra Galing’s bail plea in Gadchiroli arson case

PUDR campaign. June 2024

Justice Chandurkar Recuses From Hearing Surendra Gadling’s Bail Plea In Gadchiroli Arson Case

02/04/2026

Live Law / by Amisha Shrivastava

Justice Atul Chandurkar of the Supreme Court today recused from hearing advocate Surendra Gadling’s bail plea in the 2016 Gadchiroli arson case. The matter was listed today before a bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Atul Chandurkar.
Earlier, Justice MM Sundresh had recused from the case. Subsequently, the case was being heard by a bench led by Justice JK Maheshwari. Today, Justice Maheshwari was sitting with Justice Chandurkar, who recused.
Read more

Supreme Court Justice AS Chandurkar recuses from Surendra Galing’s bail plea in Surajgarh arson case

02/04/2026

Bar & Bench / by Ritu Yadav

Earlier, Justice MM Sundresh had recused from hearing the matter.
Supreme Court Justice Atul S Chandurkar on Thursday recused from hearing a bail plea filed by lawyer and activist Surendra Gadling in connection with the 2016 Surajgarh arson case [Surendra Pundalik Gadling vs State of Maharashtra].
Earlier, Justice MM Sundresh had recused from hearing the matter.
Read more

Thread by Bar & Bench / @barandbench (April 2, 2026):

Supreme Court hears plea by human rights lawyer Surendra Gadling seeking bail in the 2016 Gadchiroli arson case.
Bench: Justices JK Maheshwari and AS Chandurkar
Counsel: I’m appearing for the High Court, we have filed a compliance affidavit stating that all directions have been complied with, since the High Court is not a formal party. My Lords may permit me.
J. Maheshwari: Today, we can’t do anything.
ASG SV Raju: I understand
Court: list before another bench
Justice Atul Chandurkar recuses from hearing the matter.

Also read:
▪ IAPL demands release of advocate Surendra Gadling from Maharashtra jail (The Sisat Daily / March 2026)
▪ Surendra Gadling and the justice that must be seen to be denied (Frontline / Feb 2026)
▪ Explained: The 2016 Surjagarh arson case, the Elgaar link, and why the Supreme Court is intervening now (The Indian Express / Jan 2026)
▪ Justice M.M. Sundresh recuses from hearing activist Surendra Gadling’s bail plea after repeated adjournments (The Hindu / Aug 2025)
▪ When Push Comes to Shove: Tracking Judicial Recusals and Transfers (The Wire / Apr 2023)
▪ Encountering Resistance – State Policy for Development in Gadchiroli (PUDR / June 2018)
▪ DISINHERITING ADIVASIS – THE GADCHIROLI GAME PLAN (KAFILA / June 2018)

IAPL demands release of advocate Surendra Gadling from Maharashtra jail

IAPL demands release of advocate Surendra Gadling from Maharashtra jail

Pic credits: IAPL

The Sisat Daily / by News Desk

Advocate Surendra Gadling is the only one to continue languishing in the jail in the Bhima Koregaon case, after 15 other accused have been released on bail, some with conditions.
Hyderabad: The Indian Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL) on Monday, March 30, demanded the immediate release of it’s general secretary and eminent advocate from Nagpur Surendra Gadling, an accused in the Bhima-Koregaon and the Surajgarh mine arson cases in Maharashtra for the past eight years.
Gadling is the only one to continue languishing in jail in the Bhima Koregaon case after 15 others accused have been released on bail with some conditions. His discharge petition has been posted for hearing in the Supreme Court this week.
Read more

Also read:
▪ Public Meeting at Press Club of India Demands Release of People’s Lawyer Surendra Gadling (The Mooknayak / March 2026)
▪ NIA Conducts Coordinated Raids on Rights Activists Across 62 Locations in Andhra, Telangana (The Wire / Oct 2023)
▪ First, They Came For the Lawyers… (The Wire / Nov 2019)
▪ IAPL press note about arrest of Advocate Gadling & other people’s activists (Sanhati / June 2018)
▪ Encountering Resistance – State Policy for Development in Gadchiroli (PUDR / June 2018)

Mumbai Innocence Network Honours Lawyers Defending Wrongfully Accused In Terror Cases

Mumbai Innocence Network Honours Lawyers Defending Wrongfully Accused In Terror Cases

March in Ottawa, Aug 2023.

Eid Milan Gathering Honours Human Rights Lawyers at Islam Gymkhana

31/03/2026

Muslim Mirror / by Muslim Mirror

A packed hall at Islam Gymkhana witnessed a festive Eid Milan that brought together over a hundred lawyers, scholars, activists, and students, culminating in the conferment of the Champions of Human Rights Award 2026 on three prominent legal practitioners.
Read more

Mumbai Innocence Network Honours Lawyers Defending Wrongfully Accused In Terror Cases

29/03/2026

Free Press Journal / by Pranali Lotlikar

The Innocence Network on Saturday felicitated activists and lawyers in Mumbai for defending individuals allegedly wrongfully arrested, especially in terror cases. At the Islam Gymkhana event, Sudha Bharadwaj highlighted challenges faced by marginalised groups, while Gayatri Singh warned against restrictive laws. Organisers said the initiative aims to raise awareness on justice and due process.
… The awards recognised individuals who have worked to uphold civil liberties and defend the rights of those accused in controversial cases. Among those honoured was Nagpur-based lawyer Surendra Gadling, who is currently in jail, and who was conferred the “Champion of Human Rights” award. Advocates M. M. Sayyad and Ibrahim Harbat were also recognised for their legal work in defending accused persons in several terror-related cases involving minority communities.
Read more

Also read:
▪ Public Meeting at Press Club of India Demands Release of People’s Lawyer Surendra Gadling (The Mooknayak / March 2026)
▪ Protecting the Protectors: AILAJ Demands Advocates Protection Act (The Mooknayak / Apr 2025)

Bombay HC Asks Maharashtra Govt If Surendra Gadling Can Use Jail Computer To Review Evidence

Bombay HC Asks Maharashtra Govt If Surendra Gadling Can Use Jail Computer To Review Evidence

Bombay High Court Asks Maharashtra Govt If Bhima Koregaon Accused Surendra Gadling Can Use Jail Computer To Review Evidence

26/03/2026

Live Law / by Narsi Benwal

The Bombay High Court on Thursday sought to know from the Maharashtra Government if it could permit Surendra Gadling, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon – Elgar Parishad case, to access the computer installed in the Taloja Central Prison to review the evidence against him.
A division bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata while refusing Gadling to use his own laptop while in prison to review evidence, clarified that it can consider permitting him to access the computer in the prison, as the very issue would affect cases in future.
Read more

by Bar & Bench / @barandbench (March 26, 2026)

Bombay High Court hears accused Surendra Gadling’s plea seeking computer access in jail to prepare for trial.
Gadling, an undertrial, says the case evidence is largely electronic, spread across 11 hard drives (around 40 TB).
Gadling’s counsel argued that similar access was granted to co-accused Mahesh Raut and Sagar Gorkhe. However the computer was non-functional
The State informed that a new computer has been installed in the jail office.
Court asked jail authorities how long can they let an undertrial access the computer and how long will it take for Gadling to review all the evidence.
The court asked Gadling to inform how long can he sit before the computer and asked prison authorities details whether NIA’s data can be accessed on it.
Next hearing on April 2.

Also read:
▪ Surendra Gadling and the justice that must be seen to be denied (Frontline / Feb 2026)
▪ What is Section 207 CrPC, an essential piece of the Bhima Koregaon case puzzle? (The Leaflet / Aug 2023)
▪ Taloja prison authorities not complying with order allowing computer use, court told (The Indian Express / April 2023)
▪ Provide access to computer, court tells jail authorities on plea made by Surendra Gadling and Arun Ferreira (The Indian Express / Jan 2023)
▪ Surendra Gadling’s Computer Was Attacked, Incriminating Documents Planted: Arsenal Consulting (The Wire / July 2021)
▪ Gadling in jail. Reason? As lawyer-activist he has been ‘unpleasant’ to India’s topcops (Counterview / Dec 2020)

▪ Video: The Prison Song of Surendra Gadling (The Wire / lyrics by Ramesh Gaychor)

hindi | 11min | 2021
51- year-old Gadling, a well-known criminal lawyer in Nagpur, was once a cultural activist, who sang songs of political resistance. The 11- minutes- long rendition tells you what it means to be incarcerated in Indian prisons. From food, water, to medical care, everything is a struggle, Gadling narrates. The song was recorded by one of Gadling’s colleagues and was made available to The Wire after obtaining his consent.
Watch video / Listen to the song

Public Meeting at Press Club of India Demands Release of People’s Lawyer Surendra Gadling

Public Meeting at Press Club of India Demands Release of People’s Lawyer Surendra Gadling

March 12, 2026. Pic credit: CASR

Public Meeting at Press Club of India Demands Release of People’s Lawyer Surendra Gadling

13/03/2026

The Mooknayak English / by Campaign Against State Repression (CASR)

Activist Surendra Gadling is detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

Press Release by Campaign Against State Repression
New Delhi, 12 March

Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) organised a public meeting at the Press Club of India on 12 March demanding the immediate release of people’s lawyer Surendra Gadling, who has been incarcerated in the Bhima Koregaon case. Lawyers, journalists, and academics addressed the gathering, highlighting the implications of the case for democratic rights, civil liberties, and the independence of the legal profession.
Read the full press release

By Manish Azad (March 2, 2026:)
Join Public Meeting in Solidarity with People’s Advocate Surendra Gadling
Release Surendra Gadling immediately !!
Release All Political Prisoners !!

Also read:
▪ CASR Condemns Abduction and Brutal Torture of Activists by Delhi Police Special Cell (Countercurrents.org / March 18, 2026)

▪ Surendra Gadling and the justice that must be seen to be denied (Frontline / Feb 2026)
▪ Explained: The 2016 Surjagarh arson case, the Elgaar link, and why the Supreme Court is intervening now (The Indian Express / Jan 2026)
▪ 6 yrs, no charges framed – Surendra Gadling stuck in trial limbo in 2016 Surajgarh arson case (The Print / Sep 2025)
▪ In Surendra Gadling’s case, adjournment becomes the verdict (Frontline / Aug 2025)
▪ How Long is Too Long? – On the Maximum Period that an Undertrial Prisoner can be Detained (Constitutional Law and Philosophy | by Hany Babu and Surendra Gadling | Oct 2024)
▪ Gadling in jail. Reason? As lawyer-activist he has been ‘unpleasant’ to India’s topcops (Counterview / Dec 2020)