The Supreme Court, on Thursday, deferred the hearing on the bail applications of advocate Surendra Gadling and activist Jyoti Jagtap, both of whom were arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.
A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal also postponed deliberations on the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) challenge to the Bombay High Court’s decision granting bail to activist Mahesh Raut. While Raut had secured bail, its enforcement was stayed following the NIA’s petition to contest the ruling before the apex court.
Senior advocate Anand Grover, representing Gadling, refuted allegations that the accused had sought to delay judicial proceedings and requested additional time to furnish pertinent records. Likewise, senior advocate Mihir Desai, appearing for Jagtap and Raut, urged the court to expedite the matter. Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the NIA, characterized the Bombay High Court’s bail order for Raut as “absolutely perverse.” In response, the Supreme Court resolved to consolidate the hearings of all related cases and adjourned the matter.
Gadling faces allegations of providing logistical and strategic support to Maoist factions, in addition to conspiring with co-accused individuals, some of whom remain fugitives. He has been charged under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The prosecution asserts that Gadling supplied Maoist insurgents with classified governmental data and geographic maps of sensitive areas. Further, it is alleged that he played a pivotal role in opposing the Surjagarh mining project and incited local communities to partake in resistance efforts.
Additionally, Gadling has been implicated in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, which centers on allegedly incendiary speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017. Law enforcement authorities claim that these speeches instigated violent unrest on January 1, 2018, near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial in Pune district.
The Bombay High Court previously determined that Jagtap was an active member of the Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), a collective that allegedly employed “aggressive and highly provocative slogans” during its performance at the 2017 Elgar Parishad conclave. The court opined, “We are of the considered opinion that there exist reasonable grounds to believe that the allegations against the appellant (Jagtap), regarding her role in conspiring, attempting, advocating, and abetting the commission of a terrorist act, are prima facie true.”
The NIA has designated KKM as a front organization of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Jagtap’s appeal against a February 2022 special court order denying her bail was subsequently dismissed by the Bombay High Court.
The Elgar Parishad conclave, held at Shaniwarwada—a historic 18th-century palace-fort in Pune—remains a focal point of the ongoing judicial proceedings, with significant legal and political ramifications.
