Elgar Parishad - Bhima Koregaon case: Court extends detention for Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha

Elgar Parishad - Bhima Koregaon case: Court extends detention for Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha

The NIA in its plea for extension of their detention beyond 90 days had told the court that the investigation could not be completed due to the lockdown and pandemic situation as witnesses could not be confronted nor documents secured.

Bhavna UchilUpdated: Monday, July 13, 2020, 07:41 AM IST
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As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) failed to file the chargesheet against activists Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha accused in the Elgar Parishad - Bhima Koregaon case within the stipulated 90 days period post arrest which ended on July 12, the court extended their detention by another 90 days on the agency’s plea.

While Navlakha through his advocate Ragini Ahuja had filed an application seeking default bail if the agency does not file the chargesheet within the stipulated period, the special court on Sunday rejected this plea.

Special judge under the NIA Act DE Kothalikar also remanded Navlakha in the agency’s custody for nine days starting July 13 until July 22 on the NIA’s plea for further police custody. It is to be noted that Navlakha had already been in the agency’s custody in Delhi for 13 days from April 15 to 28, after his surrender as per the Supreme Court’s directions the previous day. The agency, however, told the court that he was not co-operating in the investigation and the Chief Investigating officer did not get access to him for interrogation as they were in different cities.

Navlakha had surrendered before the NIA, Delhi while Teltumbde before the agency’s Mumbai office. He had later been brought by an overnight train journey during the lockdown to Mumbai. Here, the NIA court had remanded him in judicial custody.

The NIA in its plea for extension of their detention beyond 90 days had told the court that the investigation could not be completed due to the lockdown and pandemic situation as witnesses could not be confronted nor documents secured. It further had said that considering the nature and magnitude of the conspiracy, it needed more time to file the chargesheet.

Advocate R. Sathyanarayan appearing for Teltumbde had opposed the extension of detention arguing that for examining witnesses, detention of the accused was not required and that the ground of lockdown cited by the prosecution to seek an extended detention is not tenable as it is the question of their liberty.

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