Bhima Koregaon Violence: Mumbai High Court raps Maharashtra Police for holding PC on 'subjudice case'

The Bombay High Court on Monday came down heavily on Maharashtra Police for holding press conference on the Bhima Koregaon violence, saying the matter is subjudice and revealing information pertaining to the case is wrong.

"How can the police do this (press conference)? The matter is subjudice. The Supreme Court is seized of the matter. In such cases, revealing information pertaining to the case is wrong," Justice Bhatkar said.

A petition was filed by one Satish Gaikwad, who claims to be a victim of famous Bhima Koregaon violence, seeking an NIA enquiry in Elgar Parishad 'anti-Maoist' crackdown matter. However, the hearing in the case was adjourned as the copies of the petition were not submitted to all the concerned persons.

The court has, now, posted the matter for further hearing on September 7, 2018,

Elgar Parishad matter: Bombay High Court raised a question that why Maharashtra police held a press conference when the matter is sub-judice in Courts. https://t.co/tYHD7kYYLv

— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2018

Gaikwad, who moved the HC, demanding an NIA inquiry into the case, told the court that the police, who wants an in-camera hearing into the case, themselves are revealing evidence in public in the form of a press conference. Therefore, citing lack of privacy and Maharashtra police's negligence, Gaikwad wanted the case to be handed over to the National Investigative Agency (NIA).

The Maharashtra police, who have been facing criticism for the activists' arrest followed by a coordinated raid across India, claimed to have solid evidence, including "thousands of documents and letters" that clearly establish their links to Maoists activities. The January 1 violence in Maharashtra's Bhima Koregaon is believed to be the assassination plot of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the lines of former PM Rajiv Gandhi.

On January 28, Lawyer and trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj, revolutionary poet P Varavara Rao, civil rights activist and journalist Gautam Navlakha, and lawyers and activists Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves were arrested for their alleged Maoist activity, that rocked Maharashtra's Bhima Koregaon during the 200th-anniversary celebration of a British-era war.