The Quint / by The Quint
In response, NIA’s counsel Advocate Sandesh Patil issued an apology.
The Bombay High Court on Monday, 29 November, directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to get Bhima Koregaon accused Varavara Rao medically examined at a private hospital.
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01/12/2021
By PUCL
Date: Dec 1, 2021
Speakers: Mihir Desai and others
In order to understand the judgement in the Bhima Koregaon, default statutory bail case granting bail to Sudha Bharadwaj (National Secretary of the PUCL), but rejecting the bail of 8 others who had also similarly applied, namely Dr. Varavara Rao, Dr. Shoma Sen, Surendra Gadling, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Arun Ferreira, Mahesh Raut,
we are holding a meeting on December 1st, 2021 from 8pm to 10pm.
All are welcome to listen to the lawyers share their views on the judgement.
V. Suresh (General Secretary PUCL )
Kavita Srivastava (National Secretary)
Listen to recording
01/12/2021
Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi
Sudha Bharadwaj’s application for default bail was pending on the date the application for extension of time to file chargesheet was made.
While granting default bail to lawyer and activist Sudha Bharadwaj on Wednesday, the Bombay High Court refused bail to eight other co-accused in the Bhima Koregaon case.
The Bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar made certain interesting observations in the 120-page order while deciding the pleas filed by Bharadwaj and 8 others challenging orders of the Pune Sessions Judges.
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01/12/2021
Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim
In its detailed order granting default bail to Sudha Bharadwaj the Bombay High Court said that Additional Sessions Judge of Pune KD Vadane was not authorized to extend the time for Pune Police to file the charge sheet under provision of the UAPA Act on November 26, 2018 and therefore she was entitled for default bail.
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01/12/2021
The Leaflet / by Sabah Gurmaj and Paras Nath Singh
The Bombay High Court grants default bail to Sudha Bharadwaj in the Bhima Koregaon case on the ground that the court which took cognizance of the chargesheet against her was not competent, while it denied the same to the other accused in the case, because they did not claim their right to default bail in time. Paras Nath Singh and Sabah Gurmaj write about the High Court’s application of the principles of default bail in these cases.
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01/12/2021
Live Law / by Sharmeen Hakim
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted default bail to lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon – Elgar Parishad caste violence case.
However, the Court rejected the bail applications of the 8 other accused Sudhir Dawale, Dr P Varavara Rao, Rona Wilson, Advocate Surendra Gadling, Professor Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira. They were arrested between June – August 2018.
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01/12/2021
Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi
Sudha Bharadwaj and 8 others had challenged the jurisdiction of the Pune Sessions Judge in 2019 who they submitted was not the Special NIA judge and hence not competent to hear their applications under UAPA.
In a significant development, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday allowed the default bail plea filed by Bhima Koregaon accused advocate Sudha Bharadwaj [Sudha Bharadwaj v. National Investigation Agency].
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Also read:
● Bombay High Court Reserves Order On Default Bail Plea Of Eight Accused In Bhima Koregaon (Live Law / Sep 2021)
29/11/2021
Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff
The bench extended the time for Rao to surrender as the NIA failed to get him medically examined at Mumbai’s Nanavati hospital in compliance with a court order.
Poet Varavara Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, need not surrender to the Taloja Jail authorities until December 6, the Bombay High Court said on Monday, according to PTI.
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29/11/2021
Bar & Bench / by Neha Joshi
Due to confusion on who would bear the expense for Rao’s medical examination, the examination could not be completed.
The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take Bhima Koregaon accused Varavara Rao to a private hospital for medical examination at the expense of the agency.
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19/11/2021
Live Law / by Livelaw News Network
The Bombay High Court on Thursday asked Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad accused P Varavara Rao to file a fresh petition to extend temporary medical bail granted to him on February 22, 2021 for six months.
The court observed that it could not modify bail conditions imposed by the previous bench, therefore, a new substantive petition would be required. The bench extended Rao’s time to surrender till December 2 in the interim.
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19/11/2021
Silverscreen / by Namrata Ganguly
The Bombay High Court has extended the interim bail of Varavara Rao, activist and co-accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, till December 2. This is an extension to his six-month interim bail that was granted in February…
The court will next hear the case on November 29.
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18/11/2021
Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff
Owing to Rao’s ill health, his counsel had demanded a bail extension of four months.
Poet Varavara Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, need not surrender to the Taloja Jail authorities until December 2, the Bombay High Court said on Thursday, according to PTI.
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India Today / by Vidya
Telugu poet Varavara Rao, an accused in the 2018 Elgar Parishad case, told the special NIA court in Mumbai on Tuesday that he was shifting from a high society flat in Mumbai to an ashram-like facility in Bandra as he was unable to afford rent.
Advocate Niraj Yadav, appearing for Rao, said his client would shift to an ashram-like facility which is right behind actor Shah Rukh Khan’s bungalow, Mannat.
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By The Freedom to Write Committee of Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann
The Freedom to Write Committee of Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann is honoured to celebrate the life and work of the renowned poets, Varavara Rao (India) and İlhan Sami Çomak (Turkey), on the occasion of the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer.
Read more / register
Also read:
• Why Suppressing Varavara Rao’s Poetry Furthers His Incarceration (The Swaddle / Nov 2021)
• Varavara Rao need not surrender before jail officials until November 18, says HC (Scroll.in / Oct 27, 2021)
11/11/2021
The Swaddle / by Rohitha Naraharisetty
Varavara Rao, a Telugu poet and activist who is currently incarcerated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, is seeing his voice being stifled even outside the prison system.
Varavara Rao has and continues to be, among the most persecuted poets in Indian history. He founded the literary magazine Srujana and was deeply involved with the Revolutionary Writers’ Association. His work revolved around prison violence, labor struggles, and human rights.
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11/11/2021
The Telegraph / by Pheroze L. Vincent
Last October, Penguin Random House India had announced that an english translation of his Telegu poems would be published under its Vintage imprint in 2021.
The publication of the English translation of a collection of Telugu poems by P. Varavara Rao, the Hyderabad activist facing trial in the Elgar Parishad “terrorism” case, has been delayed because of adverse legal opinion the publisher is said to have received.
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10/11/2021
The News Minute / by Balakrishna Ganeshan
Is Penguin planning to indefinitely postpone the release of ‘Varavara Rao: The Revolutionary Poet’ – a collection of poems by the revolutionary poet translated into English? The co-editors of the book have said that they have faith that the publisher, Penguin, wouldn’t do this. In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, November 10, journalist and translator N Venugopal, and writer and poet Meena Kandasamy, said that they trust publisher Penguin Randomhouse India, to publish the book, which is a compilation of 65 poems written by Varavara Rao.
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09/11/2021
The Quint / by Nikhila Henry
Penguin Random House was expected to publish Varavara Rao’s collection of poems in June or July 2021.
Telugu poet Varavara Rao was 20 years old when he started penning poems. Six decades on, the 81-year-old poet’s lifelong work is now in limbo as Penguin Random House has stalled the publication of a collection of his poems, citing its concerns about the “nature of charges” levelled against him, The Quint has learnt.
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by Meena Kandasamy (Nov 9, 2021)
09/11/2021
Newslaundry / by NL Team
The publication of Telugu poet Varavara Rao’s collection of poems has been put on hold by Penguin Random House, with the publisher citing its concerns about the “nature of charges” levelled against him, according to a report in the Quint.
The 81-year-old poet, who was arrested along with other activists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in November 2018 for his alleged role in the Bhima Koregaon violence, is out on medical grounds and stationed in Mumbai.
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The Freedom to Write Committee of Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann is honoured to celebrate the life and work of the renowned poets, Varavara Rao (India) and İlhan Sami Çomak (Turkey), on the occasion of the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer.
Read more / register
28/10/2021
The Indian Express / by Jinee Lokaneeta
The torturous practice of solitary confinement, whether for 24 hours or a large part of a day, remains a key feature of modern prisons, sometimes by another name. The continued use of an “anda” (egg-shaped) cell or high security cell in the Indian context appears to be, in effect, the use of solitary confinement — defined by many as cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or torture — by another name. The news that eminent journalist and human rights activist and scholar implicated in the Bhima Koregaon case, Gautam Navlakha, has been moved to an “anda” circle in Taloja jail on October 12 is just another reminder that imprisonment itself appears inadequate for the state.
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27/10/2021
The Print / by Bismee Taskin
Sahba Husain says the rights activist has also been denied access to the library, canteen and jail’s green areas ever since he was shifted to the high-security Anda cell.
It was in April last year when human rights activist Gautam Navlakha surrendered before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Bhima Koregaon case.
Since then Navlakha has been in prison — first in Delhi’s Tihar jail and then in the Taloja jail in Mumbai. Earlier this month, the 70-year-old, along with five other accused, was shifted to the high-security ‘Anda cell’ of the Mumbai prison.
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en | 1h 10min | 2014
‘Colours of the Cage’ is the real story of what goes on behind bars – it isn’t like the celluloid or novelistic versions that readers are familiar with. However, it is not just a harrowing account of life in prison but also a memoir of astonishing power – about a man’s stubborn fight for justice and the triumph of the human will.
This video was recorded at the launch of Arun’s book ‘Colours of the Cage’ on the 26th of September, 2014 at the Press Club, Mumbai. Seated on the dais from the left, are journalist-author Naresh Fernandes, author-poet Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira and playwright-director Ramu Ramanathan.
Watch video
Also read:
● Kin of jailed activists write to authorities to not discontinue telephone calls (Sabrangindia / Oct 25, 2021)
27/10/2021
Scroll.in / by Scroll Staff
The court asked the poet-activist to file a separate plea seeking permission to shift from Mumbai to his hometown in Hyderabad.
Poet Varavara Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, need not surrender before the Taloja Jail authorities in Navi Mumbai until November 18, the Bombay High Court said on Tuesday, according to PTI.
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26/10/2021
The Leaflet / by The Leaflet
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said poet Varavara Rao, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case who is on interim bail, need not surrender before the Taloja prison authorities until November 18 and adjourned the hearing on a plea filed by him to next month.
Rao, 82, had been granted interim bail for six months on medical grounds by the HC on February 22 this year.
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