Bhima-Koregaon Violence Case: NIA can't label me terrorist in absence of direct evidence, Teltumbde tells HC

One of the prime accused in the Bhima-Koregaon violence case - academician Anand Teltumbde on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that the NIA, which is investigating the case, has labelled him as a terrorist without attributing any direct evidence against him. He accordingly, sought bail.

A bench of Justices Sunil Shukre and Govind Sanap was hearing a plea filed by Teltumbde through senior advocate Mihir Desai, seeking bail.

On Wednesday, when the matter was called out for hearing, Desai informed the judges that even if the NIA in its charge sheet has booked his client for being part of a terrorist outfit and also for abetting terrorist activities, the agency didn't adduce any evidence of violence against him.

"For one to be called a terrorist, there must be an act of violence," Desai argued, adding, "It is my argument that a terrorist activity involves some type of violence."

Desai further pointed out that the NIA in its charge sheet nowhere mentions that Teltumbde was involved in any kind of violence. "Thus, they (NIA) cannot label me as a terrorist," the senior counsel emphasised.

In his submissions, Desai urged the bench to bear in mind the verdicts of the Supreme Court which has time and again held that an accused must not be kept behind bars endlessly without a trial, or in cases where trials went on for long.

"In this case, the trial is not likely to begin anytime soon. Please consider, my client has written as many as 16 books on the issue of caste in India. He is active in civil rights movements for 35 years. He's reached the zenith in his career as well," the senior counsel pointed out.