New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on the bail petitions of Bhima Koregaon accused Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira. The next hearing will be held on 6th February in the case. The matter had come up before the bench comprising of Justice MR Shah and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia.
The petitioners approached the top court against the Bombay High Court's 2019 order which had denied them bail. However, the court had granted bail to another co-accused Sudha Bharadwaj in the case. Later, they had filed a review plea in Bombay High Court but plea was rejected.
Both the accused have been under the custody since 28th August,2018, over their alleged Maoists links in connection to Bhima koregaon violence that happened in January 2018. They have been charged under Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act,1967.
Vernon Gonsalves is an academician and a writer who is known to highlight adivasi rights and rights of prisoners. Arun Ferreira is a lawyer and a human rights activist who was a member of Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights and the Indian Association of People's lawyers.
Meanwhile, On January 9, the Supreme Court had extended the house arrest of Gautam Navlakha, accused in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, till February 17. A bench headed by Justice KM Joseph said the interim order allowing the house arrest of Navlakha shall continue as the Additional Solicitor General SV Raju was not available today for the hearing.
Senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, appearing for Navalakha, told the bench that her client's daughter lives abroad and sought permission if he can receive a call from her. She said, "He can't call on an international number. I thought we will file an application, but since we are already here. I will give the information to NIA."
