23 January,2026 02:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Bombay High Court. File Pic
The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to activists Sagar Gorkhe and Ramesh Gaichor in the high-profile Elgar Parishad case, observing that they were entitled to relief on the ground of parity since several co-accused have already been released in similar circumstances, reported news agency PTI.
A division bench of the Bombay High Court, headed by Justice A.S. Gadkari, took note of the fact that many accused persons in the case have secured bail owing to prolonged incarceration and the unlikelihood of the trial commencing in the near future. The court held that denying the same benefit to Gorkhe and Gaichor would be unjustified.
The two activists were arrested in September 2020 and have been lodged at the Taloja Central Prison since then. They are accused of being active members of the banned CPI (Maoist) and allegedly having links with Maoist activities connected to the Elgar Parishad conclave, reported PTI.
In its order, the bench observed that continued detention of the appellants without a foreseeable trial timeline would violate the principle of parity, especially when similarly placed accused have already been granted bail. "On the ground of parity, the two appellants also deserve to be released on bail," the court said, reported PTI.
As part of the bail conditions, Gorkhe and Gaichor have been directed to execute a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each. They are also required to report to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) office once every month and comply with other standard conditions imposed by the court, reported PTI.
The Elgar Parishad case stems from an event held in Pune on December 31, 2017, where allegedly provocative speeches were delivered at a conclave attended by various activists, lawyers, and academics. According to the prosecution, these speeches led to violence at Koregaon-Bhima, on the outskirts of Pune, on January 1, 2018, during celebrations marking the bicentenary of the historic Bhima Koregaon battle.
The Pune police, which initially investigated the case, claimed that the conclave was backed by Maoist groups and that the violence was part of a larger conspiracy. The probe was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency, which continued the investigation and filed charges under stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
At least 16 individuals were arrested in connection with the case, including prominent civil rights activists, scholars, and lawyers. Over time, most of them have been granted bail by various courts, primarily on grounds of long incarceration and delays in trial proceedings. Currently, all accused except Surendra Gadling have been released on bail.
The case also drew national and international attention following the death of Father Stan Swamy, an 84-year-old priest and tribal rights activist, who passed away in judicial custody in July 2021 while awaiting trial.
Other accused named in the case include Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, Anand Teltumbde, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Shoma Sen, Gautam Navlakha, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Jyoti Jagtao, and Mahesh Raut.
(With inputs from PTI)
