Bombay High Court Judge Recuses From Hearing Mumbai Press Club Plea, Cites His Appearance As Prosecutor In Bhima Koregaon Case

The ongoing controversy over Sudha Bharadwaj and Varavara Rao - both accused in the Bhima Koregaon - Elgar Parishad case, who allegedly flouted their bail conditions and together attended an event organised by journalist Gurbir Singh at the Mumbai Press Club (MPC), reached the Bombay High Court on Tuesday (May 19) with Justice Sandesh Patil recusing from hearing the matter.

Notably, one of the bail conditions imposed by the special court on all the 15 accused in the case is that they will not interact with each other, however, Bharadwaj and Rao together attended Singh's event at the MPC on January 19, 2026, which was allegedly for discussing the legal and other issues concerning the case.

Thereafter, the MPC Managing Committee received a complaint from a member and accordingly a three-member Inquiry Committee was constituted, which after hearing Singh, recommended action against him for his conduct of organising the event and inviting the accused persons, which brought 'disrepute' to the Club as it was capable of giving out a message that the Club associated with persons accused of serious offences.

Therefore, the Managing Committee, as per its Bye-laws, on April 26, 2026 resolved to expel Singh for a period of six years from contesting elections. This very decision was challenged by Singh before a civil court by virtue of a suit. On May 7, the civil court by an ad-interim order, directed the MPC to allow Singh to contest the forthcoming elections of the Club, which are likely to take place in July this year.

Challenging this order, the MPC through its secretary Mayuresh Ganapataye moved an appeal, which was listed before Justice Patil's bench, who was presiding over a vacation court.

When the matter was called out, the Club's legal team comprising of senior counsel Girish Godbole, assisted by advocates Abhishek Salian and Khushnuma Banerjee, informed the bench that the appeal must be heard on urgent basis. However, Singh through his counsel argued that there was no urgency in the plea, as anyhow the elections are to be held during July.

At this, Godbole questioned that if there is no urgency then why did Singh move the civil court seeking ad-interim orders.

During the hearing, Singh's counsel while pointing out the facts of the case, informed Justice Patil that the allegation against his client is that he invited Bhima Koregaon - Elgar Parishad case's accused to the MPC premises, which violated their bail conditions.

At this, Justice Patil pointed out that he had appeared as a Special Public Prosecutor (before being elevated as a judge) in several matters related to the Bhima Koregaon - Elgar Parishad case. He sought to know if either of the parties have any issue with regards to him hearing the matter.

While Godbole responded in the negative, Singh instructed his counsel to answer in the affirmative and objected to the bench hearing the present appeal.

Godbole, however, maintained that the present proceedings have nothing to do with the Bhima Koregaon - Elgar Parishad case, and the judge was not required to get into the conditions of the bail granted to the accused persons.

However, Singh pressed his objection, to which Justice Patil accepted and recused from hearing the matter.

"Because I appeared as an SPP in the Bhima Koregaon - Elgar Parishad matters, therefore, the defendant objected to me hearing this matter. Hence, the matter be removed from my board and be placed before any bench of which I am not a member," Justice Patil recorded in the order.

This appeal will now be listed before some other bench in the coming days.

Notably, even the National Investigations Agency (NIA) has moved a special court in Mumbai seeking to cancel the bail granted to Bharadwaj and Rao for violating the conditions imposed on them to avail the facility of bail.

Case Title: Mumbai Press Club vs Gurbir Singh [Appeal from Order (ST) 14796 of 2026]