Elgar Parishad case: Jailed activists Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale released
What's the story
Activists Rona Wilson and Sudhir Dhawale, arrested in the Elgar Parishad case, were released from jail on Friday. The Bombay High Court had granted them bail on January 8. They were arrested in 2018 for allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches at an event in Pune on December 31, 2017. The Pune Police claimed Maoists backed this event, which reportedly led to violence at Koregaon-Bhima in Pune district the next day.
Bail granted
Court acknowledges 'long incarceration,' grants bail
The case was subsequently handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Out of the 16 arrested in the case, many were released on bail. During their bail hearing, a division bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata observed the "long incarceration" of Wilson and Dhawale. The bench also noted the trial was unlikely to end soon with over 300 witnesses in the case. It clarified that it wasn't dealing with the merits of the case at this stage.
Bail conditions
Lawyers argue for bail, court sets conditions
Wilson and Dhawale's lawyers argued that they had been "languishing" in jail since 2018, with the special court yet to frame charges against them. Granting relief, the court directed Wilson and Dhawale to submit a surety of ₹1 lakh each as part of their bail conditions. They are also required to appear before the special NIA court for trial hearings.