Gautam Navlakha, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case was released from Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai . He will now be kept under house arrest for a month in Navi Mumbai. According to reports, after his release from the jail, Navlakha was taken to a building in Navi Mumbai’s Belapur-Agroli area.
The activist was released from jail almost after more than two years. He was sent to the Taloja Jail in April 2020 in connection with the case related to violence in Maharashtra’s Koregaon-Bhima on December 31, 2017. Judge Rajesh Katariya of the special court for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases issued his `release memo’.
The activist will stay in ground-plus-two Comrade B T Randive Building which belongs to the Communist Party of India (Marxist). It also houses a public library on the ground floor.
Navlakha was accused of delivering inflammatory speeches at the event. One person reportedly died in the violence. As per the Pune police, the Elgar Parishad conclave was supported by Maoists. Last week, the Supreme Court ordered that the 70-year-old activist should be shifted to house arrest within 48 hours.
However, his release was delayed. On Friday, the top court rejected National Investigation Agency’s (NIA’s) plea opposing Navlakha’s release. Notably, Navlakha claimed that he was sufferings from multiple ailments since his arrest. The NIA moved the Supreme Court again. The agency argued that Navlakha was a charge-sheeted accused in a case involving threat to the national security and integrity and he did not deserve any relaxation.
