New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to relax the bail condition imposed on 85-year-old poet and activist P. Varavara Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, which requires him to seek prior permission from the trial court before leaving Greater Mumbai.
Rao’s counsel, senior advocate Anand Grover, argued before a Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi that his client has been living alone in Mumbai since his wife moved to Hyderabad and continues to struggle with health issues. “Even today, he collapsed due to dizziness,” Grover submitted, adding that while Rao can access free treatment in Telangana, his medical expenses in Mumbai exceed his pension.
The Bench, however, was not inclined to entertain the request. “The government will take care of his health…..we are not interested (in entertaining the application),” Justice Maheshwari remarked. Following this, Grover sought to withdraw the application, which the court permitted without granting liberty to renew the plea later.
In August 2022, the apex court had granted Rao permanent bail on medical grounds, despite opposition from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and directed that he remain within Greater Mumbai unless allowed otherwise by the trial court. He was also barred from contacting witnesses or influencing the investigation.
At the time, the court had warned that any violation of these conditions could lead to the cancellation of bail, clarifying that the relief was granted solely on health grounds and carried no bearing on the merits of the case.