SC grants interim protection from arrest to 2 accused in Bhima Koregaon violence case

Supreme Court on Friday granted interim protection from arrest to social activists Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case, till March 16.

A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra granted interim protection from arrest to the two till March 16, when the apex court will hear the matter again.

Bombay High Court had, on February 14, rejected their anticipatory bail plea filed by the two in connection with the case and granted them four weeks' time to approach the Supreme Court.

Navlakha and Teltumbde were booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) following the violence at Koregaon Bhima village in Pune on January 1, 2018.

Earlier, a Pune Sessions court had transferred all the records and further proceedings of the case to the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court, Mumbai.

The NIA had earlier filed a petition in the Pune sessions court on January 29 seeking transfer of the case to the agency's court in Mumbai.

On January 1 last year, violence had erupted during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of Bhima-Koregaon battle, leaving one dead and several injured.