Bhima Koregaon Case: Bombay High Court Grants Bail To Ramesh Gaichor & Sagar Gorkhe After 5 Yrs In Jail

The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkhe, both arrested since 2020 for their roles in the Elgar Parishad - Bhima Koregaon case.

A division bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Shyam Chandak granted bail on the ground of long incarceration.

A detailed order granting them bail is yet to be made available.

Notably, both Gaichor and Gorkhe, members of the Kabir Kala Manch, were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on September 7, 2020. Both of them were instrumental in organising the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017.

According to the NIA, Gaichor used the event to deliver inflammatory speeches to incite violence and "propagate Naxal activities and Maoist ideology."

As regards Gorkhe, the prosecution claimed that he used his "performances" of cultural songs and dances to propogate Maoist ideology and incite violence.

The NIA, initially, asked the duo to be prosecution witnesses, however, when both refused to co-operate, they were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly being active members of a terrorist organisation and conspiring to overthrow the government.

The Bombay High Court has so far granted bail to Rona Wilson and activist Sudhir Dhawale, Sudha Bharadwaj, while the Supreme Court has granted bail to P Varavara Rao on medical grounds, Shoma Sen, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira on merits.

Appearance : Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh Assisted by Special Counsel Chintan Shah