Bhima Koregaon case: Supreme Court gives three weeks time to Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde to surrender

Navlakha and Teltumbde were booked under provisions of the UAPA and various sections of the IPC following the violence at Koregaon Bhima village in Pune on January 1, 2018.

New Delhi: In Bhima Koregaon violence case, the Supreme Court on Monday (March 16) rejected a plea seeking an extension of anticipatory bail granted to social activists Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde. A bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice MR Shah gave three weeks to Teltumbde and Navlakha to surrender asking them to surrender their passports immediately as well. 

Earlier, the apex court had granted them anticipatory bail till March 16, as the duo had approached the top court against the Bombay High Court order, which on February 14 had refused to grant them anticipatory bail. The HC, however, had granted them four weeks` time to approach the Supreme Court in the matter.

Navlakha and Teltumbde were booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) following the violence at Koregaon Bhima village in Pune on January 1, 2018. 

Last month, a Pune Sessions Court had transferred all the records and further proceedings of the case to the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court, Mumbai. On January 29, the NIA had filed a petition in the Pune Sessions Court seeking transfer of the case to it. 

Earlier on February 18, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the Bhima Koregaon case and Elgaar Parishad case are "two different" cases amid tensions with alliance partners NCP and the Congress over the transfer of Elgar Parishad to National Investigation Agency.

Thackeray had said that Bhima Koregaon case is related to Dalits and he has not transferred the probe in this case to NIA because he wants to ensure that no injustice is done to Dalits of the state. 

“Elgar Parishad and Bhima Koregaon are two different issues. The issue of Dalits is related to Bhima Koregaon. I have not handed over its investigation to the Centre and will not give it. I want to make it clear that there will be no injustice to Dalits,” Thackeray added.

In January 2019, violence had erupted during the 200th anniversary celebrations of Bhima-Koregaon battle, leaving one dead and several injured.