SC seeks NIA's reply on interim bail plea of Bhima Koregaon case accused

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the response of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on an interim bail application moved by Prof Shoma K. Sen - an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case.

A bench comprising of Justices Aniruddha Bose and S.V.N. Bhatti issued notices to NIA and others on the application filed by Sen, through her advocate Nupur Kumar, seeking interim release for medical reasons. “Leave granted. Let notice be issued on the application for interim bail," the bench ordered, while adjourning the matter to October 4.

In March this year, Sen had approached the Supreme Court against the order of the Bombay High Court where her plea was disposed of and she was asked to apply afresh for bail before the Special NIA court after the anti-terror agency had filed chargesheet against her, and others.

Earlier in December 2021, the High Court had granted default bail to lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj. However, the division bench of Justices S.S. Shinde and N.J. Jamadar had declined the applications of eight other co-accused in the same case including Sen.

On July 28, the top court had granted bail to two other accused, namely Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, who were in jail since August 2018.

The case pertains to inciting people and giving provocative speeches during the Elgar Parishad organised by the activists of Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada in Maharashtra's Pune on December 31, 2017, which promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence resulting in loss of life and property and state-wide agitation in Maharashtra.