File photo of poet-activist Vavaravara Rao
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed concern about the bail application on medical grounds of P Varavara Rao not having been listed, before the Bombay High Court, even after six weeks since its filing.
The apex court directed the Bombay High Court to hear the bail plea of 81-year-old poet Varavara Rao at the earliest before the appropriate bench.
A bench comprising Justices UU Lalit, Vineet Saran and S. Ravindra Bhat was hearing a writ petition filed by the poet's wife Pendaya Hemlatha seeking his release.
However, the court refused to order the release from the jail and asked the petitioner to file appropriate petition before the concerned High Court.
Senior counsel Indira Jaising, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, submitted to the court that the right to life and dignity is being violated and the right to health of prisoners in custody needs to be protected.
Varavara Rao has been under custody since August 2018 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for alleged links with Maoists.
Rao is one among the activists and academics who are undertrials accused of inciting violence at the Elgar Parishad conclave held at Shaniwar Wada in Pune on December 31, 2017.