HC reserves order on activists’ plea against arrest

Navlakha & Teltumbde named in Bhima-Koregaon violence case

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday closed for orders the two applications filed by human rights activist Gautam Navlakha and academician Anand Teltumbde, both named in the Bhima-Koregaon violence case, seeking pre-arrest relief. Pune Police have accused the duo, along with a dozen other rights activists for instigating violence at Bhima-Koregaon, Pune, in January 2018.

Apart from these two, police have arrested other activists for their links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) group. They are all accused for having links with Kashmiri separatists and for plotting to kill PM Narendra Modi.

Police have also invoked the provisions of the now stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against all the accused and booked them for waging a war against the nation.

Pune Police have demanded the custody of Navlakha and Teltumbde, who are yet to be arrested, as the duo have been granted protection both by the Bombay HC as well as the Supreme Court.

However, since the protection has now come to an end, and apprehending that they could be arrested at any point of time, the activists moved the bench of Justice Prakash Naik, seeking prearrest relief.

Their pleas have been vehemently opposed by Pune Police, which has sought their custody for 'exposing' the further plans of the banned CPI (Maoist). Police have also claimed that the custodial interrogation of the duo would give further leads in the case.