The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to P Varavara Rao, 82-year-old poet-activist from Hyderabad, in the Bhima Koregaon case on medical grounds rejecting a contention by the National Investigation Agency that neither age nor medical condition can become a factor for bail to an accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
A three-judge bench, presided over by Justice U U Lalit, modified the Bombay High Court's order which had granted him relief of bail for a period of three months.
The top court clarified that the bail was being allowed on purely medical grounds and this order would not impact the case of other accused or the appellant on merits.
It also ordered that Rao would not leave Greater Mumbai without permission from the trial court or misuse his liberty to get in touch with any witness or influence the course of investigation.
In its order, the bench noted that Rao is 82 years of age and had already spent two and half years in custody after his initial arrest on August 28, 2018. The chargesheet has been filed but some of the accused have still not been apprehended and the matter has not been taken for framing of charges while discharge pleas by some of the accused are pending consideration before the trial court.
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing NIA, vehemently opposed the submission of appellant and contended that material shows Rao is involved in deep-rooted conspiracy and under UAPA, he would not be entitled for bail.
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