The Supreme Court is considering transferring Bhima Koregaon case accused Gautam Navlakha from jail to house arrest after he filed an application requesting to be released on health grounds.
A bench led by Justice K M Joseph has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to brief the court tomorrow on what kind of restrictions it wanted for social activist Gautam Navlakha if he is allowed to come out of jail and be kept under house arrest.
“This Court has considered house arrest as a form of custody… All kinds of restrictions. We will try out. He’s not in the best of health,” the top court said today.
Supreme Court was hearing the plea of jailed activist Gautam Navlakha that he be placed under house arrest instead of judicial custody in the Elgar Parishad case.
SC had earlier deferred the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta apprised it that he is being treated in Mumbai’s Jaslok hospital.
“Parties are granted liberty to inspect the medical reports by Jaslok hospital,” the bench said.
The top court on September 29 had directed the Taloja jail superintendent to immediately shift Navlakha to Mumbai’s Jaslok hospital for treatment. It had said receiving medical treatment is a fundamental right of a prisoner.
The 73-year-old human rights activist has been under custody since his arrest in August 2018. He has cited multiple health issues skin allergy and dental issues, and also cited the need to undergo colonoscopy to test suspected cancer. After the Bombay High Court rejected his plea to be shifted to his sister’s house, Gautam Navlakha approached the Supreme Court.
