SC rejects anticipatory bail plea of Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde in Bhima Koregaon case

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a plea seeking an extension of anticipatory bail granted to social activists Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde, two accused in Bhima Koregaon violence case.

A bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice MR Shah gave three weeks to Teltumbde and Navlakha to surrender and asked them to surrender their passports immediately as well.

Earlier, the top court had granted anticipatory bail till March 16 to the two accused.

The duo had approached the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court order, which had on February 14 refused to grant anticipatory bail but granted them four weeks' time to approach the Supreme Court in the matter.

Navlakha and Teltumbde were booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) following the violence at Koregaon Bhima village in Pune on January 1, 2018.

Earlier, a Pune Sessions Court had transferred all the records and further proceedings of the case to the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court, Mumbai.

The NIA had earlier filed a petition in the Pune Sessions Court on January 29 seeking transfer of the case to the agency's court in Mumbai.

On January 1 last year, violence had erupted during the 200th anniversary celebrations of Bhima-Koregaon battle, leaving one dead and several injured.