The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted six weeks’ interim bail on medical grounds to Mahesh Raut, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case who is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Appearing for Raut, senior advocate C U Singh said he has health problems and is suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disorder which attacks the bones and muscles. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which probed the case, opposed the prayer for bail, but the bench granted the relief.
The Supreme Court bench also took note that Raut had been granted regular bail by the Bombay High Court on September 21, 2023, but had stayed it for a week to enable the NIA to file an appeal.
The case dates back to the Elgar Parishad event held in Shaniwar Wada in Pune on December 31, 2017. A day later, as violent clashes broke out between Maratha and Dalit groups near Bhima Koregaon in Maharashtra, police alleged that the violence was instigated by “inflammatory speeches” given at the Elgar event.
Before the high court, the NIA which had said that the investigation had revealed that Raut, also known by the nickname ‘Rohit Verma’, is an active member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and also a member of Central Convener Committee of the frontal organisation Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan and took active part in furthering the unlawful activities of the banned outfit with recruitment, funding and providing support.
The agency also said that upon analysis of hard discs allegedly seized from accused Nirmala Kumari alias Narmadakka in the case of the IED blast and killing of 15 police Quick Reaction Team personnel and one driver at Jambhulkheda village in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on May 1, 2019, by Maoists, it found material which went on to show Raut’s alleged links with Maoists.
The NIA also alleged that communication seized from a co-accused revealed that Raut was provided with Rs 5 lakh by Maoists for further providing it to the co-accused Surendra Gadling and Sudhir Dhawale for the Bhima Koregaon work.
Story continues below this ad
Raut, on the other hand, claimed that there is no material on record to substantiate the allegations against him and to indict him in the crime.
Granting him bail, the high court said that “from the material on record it appears to us that no covert or overt terrorist act has been attributed to the Appellant.” It added that “at the most it can be said” that Raut “is a member of CPI (Maoist) and therefore it would attract provisions of Sections 13 and 38 of UAP Act” and that “there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accusations against” him under the other provisions of UAPA “are prima-facie true”.
The trial court had earlier rejected his bail application, following which he approached the high court. He was arrested on June 6, 2018.