Bhima Koregaon case: SC adjourns hearing on activist Jyoti Jagtap's bail plea

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned hearing on the bail plea filed by activist Jyoti Jagtap, who is behind the bars under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case.

A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sanjay Karol said that it will take up the plea for hearing in November itself and decided to post the matter for hearing on 30th of this month.

The bench remarked that it will have to find out if Jagtap’s case falls within the parameters laid down by the top court in granting bail to other co-accused in the same case.

Advocate Aparna Bhat, who appeared on Jagtap’s behalf, said that the apex court has already granted bail to Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira.

The two activists were ordered to be released by the Supreme Court on bail in July this year considering their 5-year term of incarceration as under-trial prisoners.

In September, the top court had granted a three-week time for filing rejoinder to the reply filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Jagtap had petitioned the Supreme Court against an order of the Bombay High Court denying her bail.

The NIA had already filed a charge sheet against Jagtap and others at a special court in Mumbai. The case pertains to inciting people and giving provocative speeches during the Elgar Parishad organised by the activists of Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada in Maharashtra's Pune on December 31, 2017, which allegedly promoted enmity between various caste groups and led to violence resulting in loss of life and property and a state-wide agitation in Maharashtra.