Bhima Koregaon case: Supreme Court agrees to hear NIA's plea against bail to Anand Teltumbde on Nov 25

Bhima Koregaon case: Earlier on November 18, the Bombay High Court granted bail to 73-year-old Teltumbde but stayed its order for a week so that the NIA can approach the Supreme Court.

Image courtesy: ANI (file pic)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear the National Investigation Agency's appeal against the Bombay High Court order granting bail to Dalit rights activist and scholar Anand Teltumbde, who was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the Bhima Koregaon case. An apex court bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Hima Kohli and JB Pardiwala said it will hear the case on November 25.

Appearing for NIA, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter for a listing of the case on Thursday. Mehta told the top court, "The petition is by NIA. There is a bail order. The order is stayed for a week, that is on Friday." 

CJI Chandrachud asked the Solicitor General to serve a copy of the petition to advocate Aparna Bhat, who is appearing for Teltumbde on caveat, adding that the SC bench will hear the case on Friday.

Earlier on November 18, the Bombay High Court granted bail to 73-year-old Teltumbde but stayed its order for a week so that the NIA can approach the Supreme Court. 

According to the NIA, provocative and inflammatory speeches were made at the event that was allegedly backed by the banned terror outfit Communist Party of India (Maoist), which later led to violence at Koregaon Bhima village near Pune in 2018.

An Indian Institute of Management (IIM) graduate who taught at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Anand was booked in the case for his alleged links to the banned CPI (Maoists). He has been charged with several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the UAPA. 

Anand Teltumbde surrendered before the NIA office in Mumbai on April 14, 2020, after the Supreme Court denied him any relief. He is now lodged at the Taloja Central jail. 

(With PTI Inputs)