Pune court asks cops to send arrested activists back to homes

A court here directed Pune police to send the arrested human rights activists to their homes, after Supreme Court ordered that they be kept under house arrest till September 6.

The Supreme Court earlier today ordered that the five human rights activists, arrested in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case, be kept under house arrest till September 6, observing that dissent was the "safety valve" of democracy.

District and sessions judge K D Vadane of Pune district court ordered Pune police to send Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira back to their residences, where they will be kept under 'house arrest', an official said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shivaji Pawar, the investigation officer, said arrangements will be made to send all the accused to their respective cities.

"We had contended before the court here to allow them to be put under arrest at a guest house in Pune. However, due to specific directions of the apex court, the judge ordered that they be sent back to their respective cities for house arrest," he said.

The three activists may be sent back to their cities by tomorrow, police said.

Pune police had arrested them and two others - Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha - in connection with an FIR lodged following the 'Elgaar Parishad' conclave held in Pune on December 31 last year that had triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.