Varavara Rao’s family hails SC order as partial victory

Writer-activist P Varavara Rao’s family welcomed the SC order on Thursday extending his house arrest till next Wednesday, describing it as “partial victory”.

Speaking to select media outside their Gandhi Nagar house, Varavara Rao’s wife Hemalatha said that the family is relieved.

“The SC admonished the police for addressing a media conference where they levelled false allegations. The cops had to apologise to the Apex Court. This shows that justice is on our side, “she said commenting on the Maharashtra police.

“We request the police to observe restraint with our friends and relatives when they come to see us. Since only Varavara Rao is to be kept under police custody, we request the police to post their security men only at our flat and not for the whole apartment,” Hemalatha told the media after the SC verdict. A family member posted on social media a picture of Rao couple cheering the SC verdict.

The police posted at the entrance of the apartment complex have been restricting outsiders from meeting Varavara Rao. No new person is allowed into the apartment complex. In all, four cops from Pune and about 15 local cops are guarding the premises on shifts.

Hemalatha moves HC

Hemalatha on Wednesday filed a petition in the high court seeking permission for the family doctor to visit Rao, who is not feeling well. Contrary to the government advocate's contention that there is no objection to a government doctor's visit, the police stopped even the doctor from entering the premises. The HC bench posted the matter to next week. “How can health be kept on hold for a week? It is a conspiracy against him,” she said.

Rao, along with four others from different parts of the country, was arrested by the Pune police last week in a case of conspiracy against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, the SC directed the police to keep them under house arrest. He was brought back to the city on August 30.