Elgar Parishad: Gautam Navlakha yet to be put under house arrest

On Monday, when Navlakha’s legal team went to fulfil formalities regarding the requirement of surety, the registrar’s office insisted on a solvency certificate of the person, who has agreed to be the surety for Navlakha

Mumbai: Four days after the Supreme Court allowed Elgar Parishad–Bhima Koregaon violence case accused Gautam Navlakha to remain in house arrest for a month on account of his old age and ill health, the human rights activist is yet to come out of the Taloja jail as formalities for his release are still under process.

Srinagar, India - December 06: Human Rights Activists Gautam Navlakha speaks after displaying a report by two human rights groups during a press conference, in Srinagar, India, on Thursday, December 06, 2012. Human Rights groups released the names of 500 people, including 235 army personnels and 31 pro-government militants, for their alleged involvement in incidents of rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir during the last 20 years. (Photo by Waseem Andrabi/ Hindustan Times)

On Monday, when Navlakha’s legal team went to fulfil formalities regarding the requirement of surety, the registrar’s office insisted on a solvency certificate of the person, who has agreed to be the surety for Navlakha.

Navlakha’s lawyer then moved a plea before the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court to allow him to furnish a cash surety of ₹2 lakh as ordered by the SC on November 10 and also allow him to deposit the amount towards expenses of police escort and security charges for the house arrest period.

They urged the court that they be allowed to submit the solvency certificate subsequently as it would take at least a month to get it from the tahsildar’s office concerned.

The court then asked the NIA to respond to the plea and posted the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.

As regards the police escort and security charges, Navlakha was earlier asked to pay the charges to the local police commissioner office, which will provide security cover. Navlakha’s lawyer informed the special court that when the legal team submitted the draft of ₹2.4 lakh at the commissioner office, the officer concerned refused to accept the payment.

The lawyer then approached the court against the Navi Mumbai police for refusing to accept the charges, which is one of the conditions for the release of Navlakha to house arrest. The court also issued notice to Navi Mumbai police and to the NIA over the issue of the payment as well.

Both the issues will be heard together on Tuesday by the special NIA court.