Varavara Rao gets bail

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail on medical grounds to poet and activist P Varavara Rao in the Bhima Koregaon case. A bench headed by Justice U U Lalit observed that the medical condition of the 82-year-old Varavara Rao, who is currently out on interim bail on health grounds, has not improved to such an extent that the relief granted earlier to him be withdrawn.

The top court noted that though the charge sheet in the case has been filed, some of the accused have not been apprehended yet and the matter has not been taken up for framing of charges against the accused who are before the court.

The bench, also comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia, observed that various applications preferred by the accused seeking discharge are still pending consideration.

"The medical condition of the appellant (Varavara Rao) has not improved to such an extent over a period of time that the facility of bail which was granted earlier be withdrawn," the bench said. "Considering the totality of circumstances, in our view, the appellant is entitled to the relief of bail on medical grounds," it said.

Rao, who is a Telugu poet, had challenged the Bombay High Court's April 13 order rejecting his plea for permanent bail on medical grounds.

The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.