Bhima Koregaon case: NIA court refuses bail to activist Rona Wilson

A special NIA court last week rejected the temporary bail plea filed by activist Rona Wilson, who is lodged at the Taloja central jail in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case. Wilson had sought interim bail to attend the wedding ceremony of his niece

MUMBAI: A special NIA court last week rejected the temporary bail plea filed by activist Rona Wilson, who is lodged at the Taloja central jail in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case. Wilson had sought interim bail to attend the wedding ceremony of his niece, from January 6 to January 20, 2025. However, special judge Chakor S Baviskar rejected the plea on December 13, observing that Wilson’s attendance was not at all necessary as the relation was quite distant.

Bhima Koregaon case: NIA court refuses bail to activist Rona Wilson

The NIA argued that the charges against Wilson were serious, and he could tamper with evidence and take undue advantage of the liberty, if released on interim bail.

After listening to both sides, the court rejected the plea, observing, “In this application, the applicant/accused wishes to attend wedding ceremony of his niece i.e. cousin sister’s daughter. The relation is quite distant. His attendance at the marriage is not at all necessary.”

Wilson, an activist from Kerala, was arrested in connection with the violence that broke out at the Bhima Koregaon village in Pune, at an Elgar Parishad event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle.