Maharashtra, Probe Agency Oppose Bail Pleas Of Elgar Parishad Accused

Elgar Parishad case: The accused have challenged the power of Pune sessions court that took cognizance of the charge sheet in 2019, and sought bail on this technical ground or "by default".

The Maharashtra government as well as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday opposed applications for "default" bail filed by some of the accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoists links case before the Bombay High Court. After both sides concluded arguments, the court reserved its order. Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira have challenged the power of the Pune sessions court which took cognizance of the charge sheet in 2019, and sought bail on this technical ground or "by default". On Wednesday, senior advocate Sudeep Pasbola, Mr Dhawale's lawyer, told a bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar that the accused were booked for "scheduled offenses" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and hence only a special court for UAPA cases could have handled the case and not an ordinary sessions court.