The National Investigation Agency has asked a Mumbai special court to cancel the bail of activists Sudha Bharadwaj and Varavara Rao [1].
The request marks a significant escalation in the Elgar Parishad case, as the agency seeks to return the accused to custody based on alleged breaches of judicial conditions.
According to the application filed on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 [1], the NIA alleges that the two activists violated the terms of their release by attending a gathering at the Mumbai Press Club [1, 3]. The agency said the event took place on Jan. 19, 2023 [1].
The NIA said the activists attended a meeting where other co-accused individuals were present [1]. The agency said the gathering was used to promote Maoist ideology [2].
Under the conditions of their bail, the accused are typically restricted from contacting co-defendants or engaging in activities that could interfere with the ongoing investigation. The NIA said these actions constituted a direct violation of those court-mandated restrictions [1, 2].
Bharadwaj and Rao have been embroiled in the long-running Elgar Parishad legal battle, which involves allegations of conspiracy linked to banned organizations. The special court in Mumbai will now determine if the presence of the activists at the press club event warrants the revocation of their freedom [1, 3].
“The NIA has asked a Mumbai special court to cancel the bail of activists Sudha Bharadwaj and Varavara Rao.”
This legal move reflects the NIA's strategy to tighten control over high-profile accused individuals in the Elgar Parishad case. By citing a specific breach of bail conditions—contact with co-accused—the agency is attempting to prove that the activists remain a risk to the judicial process or are continuing to operate within banned ideological frameworks.
