SC allows Varavara Rao to stay out on bail with condition not to misuse liberty
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The Supreme Court Wednesday granted bail to poet and activist P Varavara Rao on medical grounds in the Bhima-Koregaon case.
The bench of justices UU Lalit, Aniruddha Bose, and Sudhanshu Dhulia said, "Considering the totality of circumstances, it is our view that the appellant is entitled to relief of bail on medical grounds."
While granting bail to the 82-year-old, the bench said he shall not misuse the liberty in any manner, reports PTI.
Rao was released on medical bail by the Bombay high court on February 22, 2021, for a six-month period, and the same was extended by the high court on April 13 for another three months, requiring him to surrender by July 12.
However, the Supreme Court had extended the period for him to surrender from time to time and had kept the matter for Wednesday to take a final call on Rao's appeal to make the bail granted to him permanently.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.
The Pune Police had also claimed the conclave was organised by people with alleged Maoist links. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) later took over the probe in the matter.
Rao was arrested on August 28, 2018, from his Hyderabad residence and is an under-trial in the case. An FIR was lodged by the Pune Police on January 8, 2018, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.