SC to examine veracity of material against five accused

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will examine the veracity of material against five activists arrested for their alleged links with the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist).

Directing the hearing on Wednesday, the bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud said: "First of all, we must look into the material. We will see the record, what are the allegations and see if there is something real. We will quash if it is a cooked up or clumsy story."

The court decided to look into the material telling senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi: "We are protecting your liberty... Your formulation on law, we will hear you on Wednesday."

Earlier, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra, told the court that he will show the material to demonstrate that the five accused -- Sudha Bhardwaj, Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira -- were arrested not for airing dissent but for activities prejudicial to the interest of the State.

--IANS

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