On Friday, Hany Babu, a former Delhi University Professor involved in the Bhima Koregaon case over alleged Maoist links, withdrew his petition seeking bail from the Supreme Court.
The decision came following the grant of bail to 5 co-accused, altering the circumstances of his case.
During the hearing before Justices Bela Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal, Hany Babu’s counsel apprised the Court of the changed circumstances, prompting the withdrawal of the petition.
The Court, consequently, dismissed the petition as not pressed.
The plea stemmed from a September 2022 Bombay High Court decision denying his bail application.
Since July 2020, Hany Babu was incarcerated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, of 1967. He was arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence of 2018 in Pune.
Justice Trivedi clarified that although he sought leave to approach the High Court, the Court’s permission was unnecessary.
This development follows the recent grant of bail to Shoma Sen, another co-accused, by a Supreme Court Bench on 5 April. The court granted Sen bail because there was no prima facie case against her.
Sen’s release marks the sixth among 16 accused individuals to secure bail in the case. Sudha Bharadwaj obtained default bail in 2021, while Anand Teltumbde, Vernon Gonsalves, and Arun Ferreira received bail on merits in subsequent years.
Varavara Rao secured bail on medical grounds. The Supreme shifted Gautam Navlakha to house arrest due to health concerns.
Although the Bombay High Court granted bail on merits to Navlakha and Mahesh Raut, the orders were stayed, with extensions granted by the Supreme Court.
Regrettably, Father Stan Swamy, another accused, passed away in custody in July 2021.
The legal saga surrounding the Bhima Koregaon case continues to unfold, with Hany Babu’s withdrawal of his bail plea being the latest twist in the complex judicial proceedings.
Bhima Koregaon Case:
The Bhima Koregaon case centers on the 2018 violence during a commemoration event. Authorities arrested activists allegedly inciting violence and having Maoist links. The arrests sparked debates on freedom of speech and misuse of anti-terrorism laws. Many condemned the arrests as politically motivated suppression of dissent.
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