SC seeks NIA’s response on Navlakha’s bail plea in Bhima Koregaon case

The Supreme Court Wednesday sought a response from the National Investigation Agency on the bail plea of activist Gautam Navlakha in the alleged Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.

A bench headed by Justice U U Lalit issued notice to the probe agency on the plea of the activist against the Bombay High Court order of February 8 dismissing his bail plea.

The bench took note of the brief submission of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Navlakha, and asked NIA to respond by March 15.

According to police, some activists allegedly made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements at the Elgar Parishad meet in Pune on December 31, 2017, which triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima in the district the next day.

The high court had said that "it sees no reason to interfere with a special court's order which earlier rejected his bail plea".