The Bombay High Court on Friday allowed bail to Advocate Surendra Gadling, an under-trial prisoner in the Elgar Parishad case from August 13 to 21 to attend his mother’s death anniversary.
A division bench headed by Justice SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar pronounced the order, Live Law reported.
Gadling who was arrested in the case three years ago on June 6, 2018, and booked under draconian UAPA, is one among the 15 country’s prominent activists, academics, rights defenders, and lawyers.
Live Law reported that Gadling had approached the High Court in an appeal under Section 21 (4) of the NIA Act challenging the Special Judge DE Kothalikar’s order, refusing him emergency bail after his mother’s demise due to coronavirus last year.
Senior lawyer Indira Jaising, appearing for Gadling, submitted that since his family members were either hospitalised with coronavirus or under home isolation, in August 2020, his mother’s funeral rites, rituals, and condolence meetings remain pending. However, Gadling’s family has decided to perform these on her first death anniversary on August 15, 2021.
The investigation agency NAIA called Gadling’s appeal for release a “gross abuse” of the process of law and the Court’s precious time.
