Supreme Court Special Bench To Hear Aarey Colony Case Today, Protesters Get Bail

Taking cognisance of cutting of tree in Maharashtra's Aarey Colony, the Supreme Court has decided to hold an urgent hearing on Monday. The top court has constituted a special bench for an urgent hearing on Monday against the felling of trees in the Aarey forest in Maharashtra.

The top court on Sunday set up a special bench on the basis of a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India by one Rishav Ranjan against the cutting of the trees. The top court decided to register the letter as a public interest litigation.

"Take notice that a special bench has been constituted to hear the matter tomorrow i.e. October 7, 2019 at 10.00 AM on the basis of a letter dated October 6, 2019 addressed by Rishav Ranjan with regard to felling of trees in Aarey forest, state of Maharashtra which has been registered as a public interest litigation," a notice on the top court’s website reads.

Green activists have been opposing cutting of trees by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) for in Aarey Colony in north Mumbai to make way for the car shed.

Earlier in the day, a sessions court granted bail to 29 protesters arrested over the last two days on charges of allegedly obstructing and assaulting police personnel on duty during protests against felling of trees at Aarey Colony.

Additional sessions court judge HC Shende of the holiday court ordered their release on certain conditions including production of personal surety of Rs 7,000 and assurance that they would not take part in protests.

However, the protesters are unlikely to walk out of the Thane jail, where most of them are currently lodged, on Sunday pending completion of the legal procedure and other formalities.

The arrests were made over Friday night and Saturday after clashes broke out between the police and green activists opposing axing of trees by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) in Aarey Colony in north Mumbai.