He was charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
In August 2018, the 73-year-old was taken into custody in relation to the case. But because of his serious health, the Supreme Court approved his transfer to house arrest in 2022.
Why is this story important?
16 activists, including Navlakha, were detained by the police on suspicion of having Maoist ties after they allegedly delivered controversial comments at the Elgar Parishad gathering in Bhima Koregaon on December 31, 2017.
The following day, this led to fighting between Marathas and Dalits.
The Battle of Bhima Koregaon, fought on January 1, 1818, commemorated its 200th anniversary. The police said the event was funded by Maoists.
HC granted a three-week bail stay.
Navlakha was granted bail on Tuesday by the division bench of Justices AS Gadkari and SG Dige of the High Court.
It hasn’t, however, released a comprehensive directive on the subject.
In addition, the court granted a three-week delay of the bail ruling so that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) may file an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging it. At first, the investigating agency requested six weeks.
HC granted bail with a one-loan surety.
Navlakha, the seventh accused in the case to be granted bail, did so on a surety bond of Rs. 1 lakh. In addition to him, other activists who were implicated in the case included Sudha Bharadwaj, P Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, the late Stan Swamy, Vernon Gonzalves, and Anand Teltumbe.
significant advancements made thus far
In August 2018, Navlakha, the former secretary of PUDR (People’s Union for Democratic Rights), was taken into custody.
In September of last year, a special NIA court denied his plea; thus, he moved the HC.
The special court took up the case again and denied his request. It claimed that Navlakha was connected to the outlawed Maoist Communist Party of India.
He went back to the HC and contested this ruling.