A special court in Mumbai has instructed Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, to respond to the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) requests for the cancellation of their bail. The NIA claims that both individuals breached the conditions of their bail. Special Judge Chakor S Baviskar has granted the accused time to submit their replies.
The NIA’s petition contends that Gonsalves and Ferreira participated in a meeting on January 19 at the Mumbai Press Club, during which other accused individuals were also present. The agency argues that this gathering contravenes the stipulations set forth in their bail agreements.
Previously, the NIA initiated similar proceedings against lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj and Telugu poet Varavara Rao for the same alleged infraction. These proceedings are currently pending before the court.
Additionally, on the same day, Judge Baviskar approved the NIA’s requests to issue proclamations against two fugitive accused, Prakash alias Naveen alias Ritupan Goswami, and Ganapathy alias Mupalla Laxman Rao.
The court has scheduled further hearings for June 19, where it will address various pending applications. These include multiple discharge applications, pleas to modify bail conditions, and requests concerning prison amenities, electronic evidence, and travel permissions.
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The Bhima Koregaon case revolves around alleged Maoist affiliations and a broader conspiracy linked to the violence that erupted near Pune on January 1, 2018. To date, sixteen individuals have been apprehended in relation to this case, with nine initially detained by Pune Police in 2018 and seven subsequently by the NIA after assuming control of the investigation.
Among the accused, Jesuit priest and activist Father Stan Swamy passed away in custody in 2021. All accused have obtained bail from the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court. The charges in the case have not yet been established, and the trial has not commenced, as the discharge applications of the accused await resolution.
