A Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice UU Lalit dismissed as withdrawn the bail plea filed by ‘Urban Naxal’ Sudha Bhardwaj’ against the order of the Bombay High Court in which the court had rejected his plea seeking interim bail on medical grounds last month.
Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice UU Lalit dismisses as withdrawn an application filed by lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj seeking for interim bail on medical grounds. #SudhaBharadwaj #SupremeCourt #BhimaKoregaon @advsoutik @aakarshkamra @vrindagrover @Sudhabharadwaj
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) September 24, 2020
Bharadwaj who is lodged in jail since 2018 had moved the Bombay High Court seeking interim bail after her pleas was rejected by the special NIA court. Bharadwaj, who was represented in the Supreme Court by Advocate Vrinda Grover, had pleaded that she suffered from comorbidities and was at higher risk of Covid-19. Justice Lalit said that her medical report was “good”.
Justice Lalit: But, look at the reports. The records say that it is good.
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) September 24, 2020
Grover: I am not disputing that at all. There is also heart disease, which is a ticking timebomb. They are giving me medicines, but a full cardio profile is needed. #SudhaBharadwaj #SupremeCourt
Grover further pleaded that Bharadwaj also had a heart condition therefore she needed a full cardio profile and that she was only requesting for an interim bail, she will be back. She pointed out that charges have not yet been framed against Bharadwaj. When Justice Lalit asked her about the status of investigation, Grover said that there was a conspiracy hatched against her client. Justice Lalit remarked that the court not be able to grant her plea solely on medical grounds as her reports said otherwise.
Justice Lalit asks Grover about her petition on merit for bail.
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) September 24, 2020
Justice Lalit: If you’re approaching us purely on medical grounds, then we may not be able to entertain this as the medical report says otherwise. #SudhaBharadwaj #SupremeCourt #BhimaKoregaon @vrindagrover
Justice Rastogi, who was on the Bench hearing plea, rebuked Grover for making a statement before the Bombay High Court that the report was false. “Who made the statement in the High Court saying that this report was false”, Justice Rastogi questioned Gover.
Grover: I am not disputing any of the medical amenities provided to her at all.
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) September 24, 2020
Justice Rastogi: Who made a statement to the HC saying that this report was false ?#SudhaBharadwaj #SupremeCourt #BhimaKoregaon @advsoutik @aakarshkamra @vrindagrover @Sudhabharadwaj
Justice Lalit told Grover that the court would dismiss the application if she did withdrew it.
The Bhima Koregaon Case
Bharadwaj along with several other ‘intellectuals’ was arrested in relation to the Bhima Koregaon violence. An event called Elgar Parishad was organised in 2018 to commemorate the battle of Bhima Koregaon in which Dalits had fought in the British Army with the Peshwas which had resulted in extreme violence.
