Bhima Koregaon case: Court rejects bail pleas of 3 activists

The Pune Sessions Court on Friday rejected bail plea of Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj--three of the five activists arrested in the Bhima Koregaon violence case.

The defence moved the Pune Sessions Court seeking an extension of the house arrest of Gonsalves and Ferreira for seven days since their house arrest ends today following the Supreme Court's order and accordingly Pune police can now arrest them.

On October 24, the Pune Sessions Court had said that it will pronounce the verdict on bail applications of Gonsalves, Ferreira and Bharadwaj today.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi will on October 29 hear Maharashtra government's plea challenging a Bombay High Court order that refused to grant more time to the Pune Police for filing charge sheet against activists arrested in connection with the case.

The five activists, namely poet Varavara Rao, lawyer Bharadwaj, activists Ferreira, Gonsalves and Gautam Navlakha, have been under house arrest since August 28 for their alleged involvement in the violence which took place on January 1.

However, Hyderabad High Court yesterday extended the house arrest of activist Rao by three weeks.

The five accused were arrested from various cities for their alleged involvement in the violence during the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle. One person was killed and many were injured in the clashes.