MUMBAI: In a major relief to activists Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde and Stan Swamy, the Bombay High Court on Thursday extended their interim protection from arrest till November 21.
The activists had moved a petition requesting the High Court to quash the FIRs lodged against them by the Pune police in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence and their alleged Naxal links. During hearing on the petition last week, the High Court had restrained Pune police from arresting the activists until November 1.
As the petition came up for hearing before the bench of Justice Ranjit More and Bharati Dange on Thursday, the bench posted the matter for next hearing on November 21 while saying that interim protection from arrest given to the activists shall continue till the next hearing.
Five activists, Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha were put under house arrest on August 29 following an order from the Supreme Court.
The Pune police had arrested these activists on August 28 and also raided houses of Teltumbde and Stan Swamy in connection with the probe in Elgaar Parishad case, which allegedly led to Bhima Koregaon violence.
Yug Mohit Chaudhry, the lawyer appearing for Navlakha, told the court that the Pune police have arrested eminent people and distinguished scholars but haven't produced any evidence before any court.
After the Supreme Court permitted the Pune police to go ahead with its investigation, the Delhi High Court had freed Navlakha from house arrest on October 1. After being freed by Delhi HC, Navlakha had moved to Bombay HC for getting the FIR against him quashed