Bhima Koregaon case: Activist Varavara Rao's temporary bail plea rejected

A Pune court rejected on Monday a temporary bail plea of activist and Bhima Koregaon violence accused Varavara Rao who wanted to attend post-death rituals of his sister-in-law.

Rao had requested a temporary bail for six days from April 29 to May 4 to attend the rituals in Hyderabad. The application was moved before the District Session Court here on April 22 and was heard on Thursday.

Opposing Rao's bail at the hearing, the prosecution had argued that there were serious allegations against him and he might escape if allowed to go out on bail.

The prosecution quoted Superintendent of Police, Hyderabad Intelligence branch, who in a letter to Joint Commissioner in Pune had said, "If Rao is allowed to travel to Telangana, then there are possibilities that he might escape from police custody."

The SP in his letter had also mentioned possibilities of an attack on police escort accompanying him. "There is no ritual in Telangana that he has to attend since the son of deceased is alive," he had said.

Rao was arrested in November last year in connection with the violence in Bhima Koregaon.