SC Grants Bail to Elgar Parishad Case Accused Mahesh Raut On Medical Grounds

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case accused Mahesh Raut on medical grounds. Raut’s counsel, senior advocate C U Singh, submitted that the accused was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, PTI reported. 

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma stated that “The applicant is seeking interim bail on medical grounds coupled with the fact that he was actually granted bail (by Bombay High Court), we are inclined to grant medical bail for a period of six weeks."

His advocate had argued that given his condition, the accused required special medical care unavailable in prison or at JJ Hospital, where he has been examined. The High court granted Raut’s bail plea but stayed its own order for a week on the request of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Raut is among several other activists arrested in the Bhima-Koregaon case. The Elgar Parishad conclave was held in December 2017 at Shaniwarwada, Pune. Investigators alleged that provocative speeches delivered at the event instigated the violence at Koregaon-Bhima on January 1, 2018.

Pune Police arrested Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut with alleged Maoist links for inciting riots. Cultural activist Sagar Gorkhe alias Jagtap, was arrested in September 2020 on allegations of raising provocative slogans at the conclave along with other Kabir Kala Manch members, and has remained in jail since then.

Jyoti Jagtap was also arrested in the case in 2020. The bench is also scheduled to hear her bail plea. 

With PTI inputs