NIA Seeks Bail Cancellation for Activists in Elgar Parishad Case
Elgar case: NIA seeks cancellation of bail of activists Sudha Bharadwaj and Varavara Rao
The Hindu
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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a plea in Mumbai seeking the cancellation of bail for activists Sudha Bharadwaj and Varavara Rao, citing violations of their bail conditions. Both are accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, which relates to alleged incitement of violence during a 2017 event in Pune, Maharashtra.
- 01Sudha Bharadwaj was granted bail in 2021, while Varavara Rao was released a year later.
- 02The NIA claims the activists violated bail conditions by attending an event at the Mumbai Press Club on January 19, 2026.
- 03The court had previously imposed conditions including restrictions on leaving Mumbai and speaking to the media.
- 04The Elgar Parishad event in Pune in December 2017 is linked to violence near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial.
- 05The NIA took over the investigation from Pune police, which initially arrested over a dozen activists.
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On May 15, 2026, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a plea in a special court in Mumbai to cancel the bail of activists Sudha Bharadwaj and Varavara Rao. Both activists are accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, which stems from alleged inflammatory speeches made during a conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017, that reportedly incited violence near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial. Bharadwaj was granted bail on technical grounds in 2021, while Rao was released a year later. The court had imposed several conditions on their bail, including restrictions on leaving Mumbai and prohibiting media interactions. The NIA's request for bail cancellation is based on their attendance at an event at the Mumbai Press Club on January 19, 2026, which the agency argues violates these conditions. Following the event, the Press Club suspended three of its members. The court has requested responses from both accused, and the next hearing is scheduled for May 22, 2026.
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The outcome of this case could affect the legal status of several activists and their ability to participate in public discourse.
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