Elgar Parishad case accused Varavara Rao's bail extended

Bombay HC extended Elgar Parishad accused and Telugu poet Varavara Rao's temporary bail till March 3.

Bombay High Court has extended the temporary bail granted to the 2018 Elgar Parishad accused and Telugu poet Varavara Rao till March 3, 2022.

The bench of Justices SB Shukre and AB Borkar were hearing the plea filed by Rao seeking extension of the temporary bail granted to him in February 2020 and leave to shift to Hyderabad till the pendency of the trial in the 2018 case.

Rao's plea has been posted for hearing on March 1, 2022 when it will be finally heard. Apart from Rao, another co-accused Professor Anand Teltumbde also mentioned his plea challenging bail rejection order and provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). This plea has been posted for hearing on March 2, 2022.

Justice SS Shinde's bench -- which was to hear the petitions, had recused himself from hearing the Elgar Parishad cases. Justice Shinde-led Bench had pronounced two major orders in the case granting bail to two accused - Rao and lawyer and activist Sudha Bharadwaj. However, with the change of assignment the case came up to another Bench led by Justice Nitin Jamdar, followed by Justice PB Varale.

Justice Varale recused himself from hearing the matters pertaining to the case so the petitions came back for hearing before Justice Shinde-led bench. His bench was also hearing bail appeals filed by another accused Stan Swamy when the latter passed away in judicial custody.

Justice Shinde had then made some remarks lauding Swamy's social service. The NIA counsel had objected to the same prompting the judge to take it back.

However, with Justice Shinde recusing, the Chief Justice had to decide which bench would hear the petitions and it was handed over to Justices SB Shukre and AB Borkar.