New Delhi: The Supreme Court, a day ago on June 21, granted interim bail to tribal rights activist Mahesh Raut so he can attend rituals after his grandmother’s death.
Raut, 36, was one of the first five to have been arrested in the controversial Elgar Parishad case – widely cited as an example of systemic suppression of criticism. Sixteen writers, journalists, activists and lawyers were arrested in the case. Some have got bail after lengthy hearings. The case is yet to go to trial.
Raut was arrested on in June 2018 and has been in jail since. The Bombay high court granted him bail on September 21, 2023. But the Supreme Court stayed the release order upon appeal by the National Investigation Agency moved after two days.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and S.V.N. Bhatti has now allowed Raut to be released from June 26 to July 9. He has to surrender on July 10.
Deccan Herald has reported that the NIA’s counsel opposed his bail on the grounds that his grandmother’s last rites had already been performed. The bench rejected this after advocate Aparna Bhat said for Raut that two rituals would be performed on June 29 and 30 and July 5 and 6.
The court additionally said that the interim bail would be subject to the terms and conditions set by the Special NIA court.
Raut will travel to his house in Gadchiroli.
