The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Bhima Koregaon violence case accused Gautam Navlakha to be shifted to house arrest citing his health condition.
The 70-year-old activist stated he is suffering from skin allergy and dental issues, and that he wanted to undergo a colonoscopy for suspected cancer.
In its order, the bench noted, “We consider it appropriate to grant house arrest given his age. Still, further, our attention is drawn to the multiple medical problems the petitioner is faced with, and that charges have not been framed in a trial that will not happen in the foreseeable future.”
Navlakha was arrested in 2018 in connection with 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.
According to LiveLaw, the petitioner won’t be allowed to use mobile, internet, laptop, or other communicating devices while in house arrest. He can only use a mobile provided by Police while in house arrest.
Conversations will be permitted for 10 minutes in presence of Police personnel, the order said.
During the proceedings, the National Investigation Agency cast doubt over Navlakha’s medical report by a private hospital, saying that one of the doctors is related to the accused.
The probe agency sought an independent medical report before deciding his plea for house arrest.
