SC extends house arrest of rights activists till Sep 19

The Supreme Court Monday said that it will examine two days later whether there is material supporting the arrest of five rights activists in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra extended till September 19 the house arrest of the five rights activists--Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha-- at their respective homes.

"Every criminal investigation is based on allegations and we have to see whether there is some material," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.

The bench said if there were some grave lapses, then it may consider the prayers like an investigation by a SIT in the case.

The bench then fixed the case of Thapar and others for final hearing.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra government, said the court should make it clear that after the adjudication from the apex court, the arrested accused cannot avail remedies simultaneously on similar issues at another judicial forum.

The Maharashtra police had arrested the rights activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave -- 'Elgaar Parishad' -- held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.