NIA court rejects default bail of 5 accused in Elgar Parishad case

Mumbai: The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday rejected the default bail plea of five accused arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon violence case by the Pune police

Mumbai: The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday rejected the default bail plea of five accused arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon violence case by the Pune police.

The five had moved a bail plea in 2018 claiming that the order passed by the Pune court allowing a further period of 90 days for the investigating agency to submit the charge sheet was without the authority of law (Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

Sudhir Dawale, Rona Wilson, advocate Surendra Gadling, professor Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut have sought bail on the ground that the NIA, which subsequently took over the case, had not filed the charge sheet against them in the stipulated time, and the Pune sessions court had no authority to extend the time to file the charge sheet.

All five were arrested on June 6, 2018, by Pune police in connection with the Elgar Parishad meet held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which allegedly triggered the violence at Koregaon Bhima the next day.

The local police had on August 30, 2018, moved a plea seeking an extension of 90 days to submit the charge sheet. The plea was allowed by the Pune sessions court.

The five had moved a bail plea in 2018 claiming that the order passed by the Pune court allowing a further period of 90 days for the investigating agency to submit the charge sheet was without the authority of law and hence invalid and since the agency missed the mandatory deadline to submit the charge-sheet they were entitled to be released on bail.

The NIA court on Tuesday rejected the plea. The detailed order would be available subsequently.