Bhima Koregaon: SC Dismisses NIA Petition, Anand Teltumbde Granted Bail
Pune, 25th November 2022: Professor Anand Teltumbde was lodged in Taloja Jail for alleged links to the Koregaon Bhima violence and charges of urban Naxalism. Anand Teltumbde was granted bail by the High Court last week. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a petition in the Supreme Court against this decision of the High Court, on which the hearing was held today (Friday). In this hearing, the Supreme Court rejected the NIA’s plea, upholding the bail verdict of the Bombay High Court, giving relief to Teltumbde.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli said it would not interfere with the High Court’s order.
On November 18, the Bombay High Court, while granting bail, commented that Teltumbde’s involvement in terrorist activities was not visible. He has been booked by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under Sections 38 and 39 (relating to membership of a terrorist organisation) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. However, Teltumbde faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted of the charges. A bench of Justices Ajay Gadkari and Justice Milind Jadhav noted that he was granted bail as he had already served more than two years in jail.
“We were absent from the Elgar Parishad held on 21 December 2017. Therefore, Teltumbade had claimed while seeking bail that he gave a provocative speech and that this case has nothing to do with him. So Teltumbde was one of the organizers of the Elgar Parishad. Besides, he is an active member of the banned organization CPI (Maoist),” claimed lawyer Sandesh Patil on behalf of the NIA.
