Bhima Koregaon case: SC grants bail to activists Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira
The Supreme Court on Friday (July 28) granted bail to activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case (Bhima Koregaon violence case), noting that they have been in custody for five years.
A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia said Gonsalves and Ferreira shall not leave Maharashtra and surrender their passports to the police.
It also directed the two activists to use one mobile each and let the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case, know their addresses.
Also read: Elgar Parishad case: NIA says accused wanted to ‘wage war’ against nation
The activists had moved the top court against a Bombay High Court order rejecting their bail pleas.
The case pertains to the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which according to the Pune police was funded by Maoists.
The inflammatory speeches made there led to violence at the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in Pune the next day, police had alleged.
Also read: Bhima Koregaon case: SC grants bail to Varavara Rao on medical grounds
(With agency inputs)