Elgar case: SC rejects NIA plea opposing activist's bail

One-liner: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the National Investigation Agency's appeal challenging the Bombay HC order granting default bail to lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.

No reason to interfere: A bench said there is no reason to interfere with the high court order and refused to consider the submissions raised by the NIA which had moved the apex court against the Dec 1 order.

• Sudha was arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case in Aug 2018 under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
• The top court had agreed on Monday to accord urgent hearing to the NIA plea challenging the Bombay High Court order granting default bail to Sudha

Entitled to bail: The activist lawyer was entitled to bail and its denial would be in breach of her fundamental right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, the high court had said.

• It had directed that Sudha, lodged in the Byculla women's prison, be produced before the Mumbai special NIA court on Dec 8, and conditions of her bail and date of release be decided on that day
• Sudha is the first among 16 activists and academicians arrested in the case to have been granted default bail

Background: The case relates to inflammatory speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave, held in Pune on Dec 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.

Source: PTI