Latest news with #GautamNavlakha
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Mumbai court denies Elgar Parishad case accused's plea to visit Delhi
A Special NIA Court in Mumbai has dismissed activist Gautam Navlakha's application seeking permission to travel to Delhi for 45 days, sharply criticising the repeated nature of such requests and calling it a "deliberate attempt to circumvent judicial restrictions".Navlakha, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, had sought leave to visit Delhi between July 15 and August 30, citing multiple personal grounds. These included the deteriorating health of his 86-year-old sister, a reunion with his partner's family after five years, personal domestic matters, and medical for Navlakha, Advocate Wahab Khan argued that his client had previously complied with all conditions imposed by the court when allowed to travel and that the present request was genuine and limited in duration. However, the plea was opposed by Special Public Prosecutor Prakash Shetty, who contended that the gravity of the charges against Navlakha warranted a stricter Judge Chakor S Baviskar, while rejecting the application, noted that a similar request had been granted in November 2024 due to serious grounds. However, Navlakha's subsequent plea to permanently relocate to Delhi had already been denied by the court on June 19 this year."Only because that application [in 2024] was allowed, it does not automatically give license to Navlakha to claim the same liberty each and every time. It does not mean that, every now and then, Navlakha on the same grounds, for the same reason, should be granted permission," Justice Baviskar the court held that Navlakha's repeated applications on the same grounds appeared to be a calculated effort to achieve indirectly what had been denied directly. "Now, perhaps to give go-by to the intention and directions of the High Court... Navlakha ingeniously has found out the trick of moving such application after application with the same prayer on the same grounds to facilitate him to reside at Delhi. It is not at all expected," the order the court refrained from imposing costs on Navlakha, the judge made it clear that such tactics were unacceptable. "There is legal trite that, the thing which you cannot do directly, cannot do indirectly as well," he Elgar Parishad case, in which Navlakha is a key accused, pertains to alleged inflammatory speeches at a conclave held in Pune in 2017, which authorities claim triggered violence at the Bhima Koregaon war memorial the next day.- Ends
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
NIA court rejects Gautam Navlakha's plea to travel to Delhi for 45 days
MUMBAI: The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court recently rejected an application filed by Gautam Navlakha, a civil rights activist booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence case, seeking permission to travel to and reside in Delhi for 45 days. Navlakha had previously moved an application to reside permanently in Delhi, which was rejected on June 19. Gautam Navlakha (HT Archives) Special judge Chakor Shrikrishna Baviskar, in an order passed on July 30, rejected Navlakha's plea on account of the binding directives of the Bombay High Court. Citing the seriousness of charges levelled against him, the court said his repeated requests to travel to Delhi cannot be justified. Navlakha, represented by advocate Wahab Khan, sought permission to travel to Delhi on several grounds. He wanted to visit his 86-year-old ailing sister and spend time with his partner's daughters and grandchildren, whom he had not seen in over five years. He also had pending medical check-ups and domestic affairs. Additionally, he expressed a desire to explore work opportunities in Mumbai by leveraging his connections in Delhi. The NIA strongly contested the application. Special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty, in his response, argued that the offences against Navlakha were serious and that he has 'international connections.' The prosecution expressed concerns that he 'may misuse liberty,' potentially continuing 'further conspiracy in connection with the present case' while in Delhi. The federal agency also raised the possibility that the accused may tamper with evidence, influence witnesses, or abscond, which could hinder expeditious disposal of the trial. The Bombay High Court granted bail to Navlakha on December 19, 2023, but barred him from leaving the jurisdiction of the trial court without prior permission from the special court. While the special court had previously allowed him to travel to Delhi for two months on November 7, 2024, citing 'genuinely serious' grounds, this did not justify repeated requests on similar grounds, it said. 'It does not mean that, every now and then, the applicant, on the same grounds, for the same reason, should be granted permission,' the order stated. The special judge observed that allowing such requests would contravene the High Court's mandate, which expected Navlakha to remain within the court's territorial jurisdiction except in 'exceptional and extraordinary circumstances.'
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Elgar Parishad case: Court junks Navlakhas plea seeking to live in Delhi
Mumbai, Aug 5 (PTI) A special NIA court here has refused permission to activist Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, to live in Delhi for a brief period while rebuking him for seeking the same relief repeatedly. In the order passed on August 1, judge C S Baviskar said Navlakha, ordered to stay in Mumbai as part of his bail condition, had ingeniously found the trick to file multiple applications seeking same reliefs. The order copy became available on Tuesday. In November 2024, the special court for National Investigation Agency cases had granted him permission to stay in Delhi for two months. In his latest application, Navlakha relied on this order while seeking permission to live in Delhi again for 45 days. 'It is not at all expected. I recapitulate, the thing you shall not do directly, cannot do even indirectly," the court said in the order. While rejecting the application, it was restraining itself from imposing cost on Navlakha, it added. The earlier permission to live in Delhi for two months did not give him the license to claim the same liberty repeatedly, the court said. The Bombay High Court, while granting Navlakha bail, had laid down that he shall remain in Mumbai considering the seriousness of the offences in this case, the special court said. 'The applicant/accused may show total disregard towards the expectations of the High Court in its order that he should reside within the territorial jurisdiction of the Court. However, the directions of the High Court are happily binding on this Court and this Court has to follow it scrupulously," the order said. Navlakha (72), a permanent resident of Delhi, was arrested in the case in April 2020. He was granted bail in 2024. The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial near Pune. Sixteen activists were arrested in the case. PTI SP KRK view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Can't give nod ‘every now and then': Court rejects Navlakha's plea to travel to Delhi
A special court rejected a plea filed by activist Gautam Navlakha, arrested in the Elgaar Parishad case, to stay in Delhi for 45 days to visit his 86-year-old sister and for other purposes. In his plea, Navlakha sought permission to stay in Delhi from July 15 to August 30, citing that he had been similarly permitted in November 2024 and had abided with all conditions. Rejecting the plea, the court stated that being allowed to travel and stay once in Delhi, does not mean that 'every now and then', he will be granted permission. Navlakha, a Delhi resident, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in December 2023, with one of the conditions being that he cannot leave the jurisdiction of the trial court in Mumbai without its permission. In April this year, the 72-year-old Navlakha cited living expenses and increasing finances in Mumbai to seek permission to shift to Delhi, pending trial, which the special court had rejected, stating that the high court set conditions did not permit it. The trial in the case is yet to begin, seven years after the first arrests in 2018. In the latest plea, he submitted that he wants to travel as his sister cannot come to Mumbai due to her health condition. He also submitted that he wants to meet his partner's children and grandchildren who are visiting in August, whom he has not met since his arrest in 2020. He also submitted that he wants to visit his doctor and take care of domestic affairs. Special judge C S Baviskar said that the High Court had in its 'magnanimous humanity', granted permission to Navlakha to travel but with the permission of the trial court. 'While imposing such conditions, the Hon'ble High Court axiomatically expected the accused not to go beyond the jurisdiction of the Court, save for exceptional and extraordinary circumstance and that too, only after prior permission of the trial court ie. this court,' the court said, in its order on July 30, made available this week. The special court said that Navlakha in moving a plea previously rejected, to shift to Delhi had shown 'utter disregard towards intention and objective of the Hon'ble High Court' and called his plea to seek permission now to stay in Delhi for 45 days, a 'trick'. 'Now, perhaps to give go by to the intention and directions of the Hon'ble High Court as above, the applicant/accused ingeniously has found out the trick of moving such application after application with the same prayer on the same grounds to facilitate him to reside at Delhi. It is not at all expected,' the court said.
The Hindu
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Elgar case: Court refuses Gautam Navlakha permission to live in Delhi
A court here on Thursday (June 19, 2025) denied activist Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, the permission to live in Delhi. Chakor Bhaviskar, special judge for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases, rejected the plea. "Granting permission to the accused to travel beyond the jurisdiction of the court is a different thing and allowing him to reside permanently beyond the jurisdiction of the court is an entirely different thing," the court said. The Bombay High Court, while setting his bail conditions, had not granted such liberty to Navlakha, the judge noted, adding, "this unnecessary application deserves to be rejected". Navlakha (72), a resident of Delhi, was arrested in the case in April 2020. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May 2024. One of his bail conditions was not to leave Mumbai without the permission of the special NIA court. He has been living in Mumbai with his partner. Saying that it had become "extremely difficult for him to sustain a stable lifestyle" in Mumbai, the accused in April sought the court's nod to live in Delhi. He was struggling to arrange funds for basic necessities such as food and house rent in the city, he said. He also struggled to find accommodation in Mumbai for about four months due to the pending case against him, Navlakha told the court. He would be able to find some employment in Delhi which was necessary to meet legal expenses, he argued, while also citing family issues such as the ill-health of his elder sister. The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which Pune police claimed was backed by the Maoists. The speeches triggered caste violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial near Pune, the police claimed. Sixteen activists were arrested in the case which was later taken over by the NIA. Most of them are out on bail.
