Bhima Koregaon Case: Pune court rejects bail plea of three activists

The bail application of three activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira were rejected by the court on Friday.

Arun Ferreira, a human rights activist and lawyer, after he was arrested by the Pune police in connection with Bhima Koregaon violence case, in Mumbai. His bail plea has been rejected by a Pune court.

New Delhi: The Pune Sessions court on Friday rejected the bail applications of three activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, who were arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence that took place on January 1. On Wednesday, the Pune Sessions Court had said that it will pronounce the verdict on the bail pleas submitted by Gonsalves, Ferreira and Bharadwaj today. The three of the five activists were arrested on August 28 for their alleged Maoists links. The two others who were arrested are poet P Varavara Rao and Gautam Navlakha. The arrests were made in connection with the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31 which allegedly triggered the violence at Koregaon Bhima the next day, on January 1. Police alleged that some of the backers of the conclave had Maoist links. District and Sessions Judge (Special Judge) K D Vadane rejected the bail applications of Bharadwaj, Gonsalves and Ferreira. The prosecution, while opposing the bail applications, had argued that they have "corroborative evidence" against the accused to prove their involvement in Maoist activities, such as mobilising cadres, recruiting students from eminent institutes and sending them to the interior to become "professional revolutionaries", raise funds and procure weapons.

Bhima Koregaon Case: Pune Police reaches accused Vernon Gonsalves’ residence at Andheri MIDC. Bombay High Court & Pune Sessions Court rejected his application seeking extension of house arrest for 7 days since his house arrest ends today following SC order. pic.twitter.com/A7lnP0nyRw

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2018

On October 29, a three-judge bench led by the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will hear Maharashtra government’s plea challenging a Bombay High Court order that refused to grant more time to the Pune Police for filing charge sheet against the arrested activists. (With inputs from agencies)