Elgar case: Court refuses Gautam Navlakha permission to live in Delhi
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Elgar case: Court refuses Gautam Navlakha permission to live in Delhi
Gautam Navlakha is an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May 2024. One of his bail conditions was not to leave Mumbai without the permission of the special NIA court. The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the ElGar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which Pune police claimed was backed by the Maoists.
Chakor Bhaviskar, special judge for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases, rejected the plea.
“Granting permission to the accused to travel beyond the jurisdiction of the court is a different thing and allowing him to reside permanently beyond the jurisdiction of the court is an entirely different thing,” the court said.
The Bombay High Court, while setting his bail conditions, had not granted such liberty to Navlakha, the judge noted, adding, “this unnecessary application deserves to be rejected”.
Navlakha (72), a resident of Delhi, was arrested in the case in April 2020.
He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May 2024. One of his bail conditions was not to leave Mumbai without the permission of the special NIA court. He has been living in Mumbai with his partner.
Saying that it had become “extremely difficult for him to sustain a stable lifestyle” in Mumbai, the accused in April sought the court’s nod to live in Delhi.
He was struggling to arrange funds for basic necessities such as food and house rent in the city, he said.
He also struggled to find accommodation in Mumbai for about four months due to the pending case against him, Navlakha told the court.
He would be able to find some employment in Delhi which was necessary to meet legal expenses, he argued, while also citing family issues such as the ill-health of his elder sister.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which Pune police claimed was backed by the Maoists. The speeches triggered caste violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial near Pune, the police claimed.
Sixteen activists were arrested in the case which was later taken over by the NIA. Most of them are out on bail.
No Relief for Gautam Navlakha: Special Court Denies Plea to Reside in Delhi Amid Elgar Parishad Case Bail Conditions
Gautam Navlakha was arrested in April 2020 in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. The Supreme Court granted him bail in May 2024, with a key condition being that he must not leave Mumbai without the special NIA court’s permission. Since then, he has been residing in Mumbai with his partner. The case pertains to alleged provocative speeches delivered during a conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017.
Special Judge Chakor Bhaviskar, presiding over National Investigation Agency (NIA) matters, held that while the court can consider travel permissions, granting a permanent change of residence outside its jurisdiction was a “different matter altogether.”
“Granting permission to the accused to travel beyond the jurisdiction of the court is a different thing and allowing him to reside permanently beyond the jurisdiction of the court is an entirely different thing,” the judge remarked. Referring to the bail terms set by the Bombay High Court, the court observed that no liberty had been granted to Navlakha to relocate outside Mumbai. Dismissing the plea, the judge said, “This unnecessary application deserves to be rejected.”
Navlakha (72), a resident of Delhi, was arrested in April 2020 in connection with the case. The Supreme Court granted him bail in May 2024, with a key condition being that he must not leave Mumbai without the special NIA court’s permission. Since then, he has been residing in Mumbai with his partner.
In his application, Navlakha had argued that living in Mumbai had become “extremely difficult,” citing financial hardships, inability to find stable accommodation, and the ill-health of his elder sister in Delhi. He also mentioned his need to seek employment in Delhi to meet legal and living expenses.
The Elgar Parishad case pertains to alleged provocative speeches delivered during a conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017, which, according to police, incited caste violence near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial the following day. Authorities claim the event was supported by Maoist groups. The case, initially investigated by Pune Police, was later transferred to the NIA. Sixteen activists were arrested in connection with the case, most of whom are now out on bail.