Bhima Koregaon case: SC refuses to grant interim bail to jailed activist Jyoti Jagtap
NEW DELHI: There was no immediate interim relief to social activist Jyoti Jagtap, who is an accused and in jail for her alleged involvement in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, as the Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant her bail in the case.
A two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Aravind Kumar, while refusing to grant any immediate relief to Jagtap, also adjourned the hearing on the main bail plea of the activist.
Although the top court listed Jagtap's main bail plea for hearing further but refused to grant relief to her. "We are not inclined to give you (Jgatap) interim bail", Justice Sundresh said, in the order.
Jagtap has knocked on the doors of the apex court challenging the October 17, 2022 order of the high court dismissing her bail plea request.
While rejecting her bail plea, the High Court noted that the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) case against her was "prima facie true" and that she was part of a "larger criminal conspiracy" hatched by the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit and her involvement in the case could not be ruled out.
Further, the HC found 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, in the address, made "aggressive, and highly provocative slogans".
Another accused, Shoma Sen has been an undertrial prisoner since June 6, 2018, and is lodged at the Byculla jail in Mumbai.
Jagtap and many others, in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon–Elgar Parishad Maoist links and criminal conspiracy case along with 14 other activists and academics were charged by the NIA for their alleged involvement in the case. She is charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act.