Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Aug 10: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted P Varavara Rao, a poet and activist, bail in the Bhima-Koregaon case on medical grounds.
A court led by Justice U U Lalit granted the 82-year-old bail, with the proviso that he not abuse his freedom in any way. Varavara Rao is now out on interim bail after contesting the Bombay High Court’s decision to deny his request for permanent release based on medical justifications on April 13.
The case allegedly stems from provocative remarks made at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017, which, according to the police, led to unrest the following day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial outside the western Maharashtra city.
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The conference was allegedly organised by individuals with Maoist ties, according to the Pune Police. Later, the investigation was taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Rao is currently awaiting trial after being detained on August 28, 2018, outside of his home in Hyderabad. On January 8, 2018, the Pune Police filed a FIR under many provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.
