Elgar case: Court allows activist's release from jail

One-liner: A special NIA court in Mumbai on Wednesday said lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj, who was granted default bail by the Bombay HC in the Elgar-Maoist links case earlier, could be released from prison on furnishing a surety of ₹50,000.

To walk out of jail: The court allowed Bharadwaj to submit the cash surety, which would enable her to walk out of the jail, either on Wednesday or Thursday.

• Other conditions laid down by the special court for her release include that she shall reside in the jurisdiction of the court and cannot leave Mumbai without its permission
• On Dec 1, the Bombay HC had allowed Bharadwaj's plea seeking default bail. It had, however, directed the special NIA court to decide on her bail conditions and the date of release

Produced in court: Accordingly, the activist was produced before special judge D E Kothalikar on Wednesday.

Need to know: Bharadwaj was arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case in Aug 2018 under the provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

• The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the National Investigation Agency's appeal challenging the HC's order
• Bharadwaj is the first among 16 activists and academicians arrested in the case to have been granted default bail

Background: The case relates to the inflammatory speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave, held in Pune on Dec 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.

Source: PTI