NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday, September 8, the bail plea of activist Jyoti Jagtap, who was arrested in 2020 in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.
According to the Supreme Court’s causelist, a two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice M M Sundresh and also comprising Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, is likely to hear Jagtap's bail plea on September 8.
The top court is also expected to hear a petition filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) challenging the bail granted to activist Mahesh Raut. He was granted bail by the Bombay High Court, but the order was stayed after the NIA sought a stay on the verdict to challenge it before the apex court.
While rejecting Jagtap's bail plea earlier, the High Court in its order noted that the NIA’s case against her was "prima facie true" and that she was part of a "larger criminal conspiracy" allegedly hatched by the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit. It also stated that her involvement in the case could not be ruled out.
Jagtap, who is an accused and in jail for her alleged involvement in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, had approached the apex court challenging the October 17, 2022 order of the High Court dismissing her bail plea.
Further, the High Court had observed that Jagtap was an active member of the Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) group, which, during its stage play at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, made "aggressive, and highly provocative slogans".
Another accused, Shoma Sen, has also been an undertrial prisoner since June 6, 2018, and is lodged at Byculla jail in Mumbai for her alleged involvement in the same case.
Jagtap and several other accused persons — including 14 other activists, academics, and educationists — have been charged by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections for their alleged involvement in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon–Elgar Parishad Maoist links and criminal conspiracy case.