Supreme Court grants jailed activist Gautam Navlakha's house arrest plea

Navlakha has been told to deposit ₹2.4 lakh - the sum estimated by the NIA as expenses for deploying police to guard his home.

Updated on: Nov 10, 2022, 14:01:45 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Supreme Court on Thursday granted jailed activist Gautam Navlakha's request for house arrest for the period of one month on grounds of ill health, saying prima facie there appeared to be no reason to reject the medical report.

A bench of justices KM Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy said house arrest should begin within 48 hours and instructed Navlakha to deposit ₹2.4 lakh - the amount estimated by the National Investigation Agency as expense for the necessary deployment of police personnel to guard Navlakha's home.

Law enforcement agencies can inspect Navlakha's residence as required, the court said, stressing that this could not become a ruse to harass him.

Navlakha, 70, will also not be allowed to use a computer or any mobile communication device or access the internet for a month. He cannot leave Navi Mumbai and is only allowed to meet two family members a week.

He can use a phone - for 10 minutes only - provided by the police and can meet his lawyer. The court also ordered CCTV to be installed throughout his house.

READ | Jailed activist Gautam Navlakha denied phone call facility by state

Navlakha had approached the Supreme Court after the Bombay High Court rejected his request in April; the court ruled that his demand did not meet the requirements prescribed under a 2021 top court decision.

Navlakha's advocate, Warisha Farasat, had argued based on his age, medical condition and the fact he had no past criminal antecedents, and that he had been placed under house arrest before the NIA took custody in April 2020.

READ | On Navlakha's 'house arrest' request, SC gives NIA 48 hours to respond

He faces serious charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his alleged links with a banned Maoist organisation - the Communist Party of India (Maoist) - and is presently incarcerated at Taloja Jail near Mumbai.

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