Elgar case: Court nixes activist's plea for dental treatment in Hyd'bad, says he can do it in Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 9 (PTI) A special NIA court here on Thursday refused permission to activist Varavara Rao, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, for traveling to Hyderabad and staying there for two months for dental treatment, saying it can be arranged in Mumbai.

Special judge Chakor Baviskar, while rejecting his plea, mentioned that if the accused has financial issues, as contended by his lawyer, there are various dental hospitals run by the Mumbai civic body, trusts and other charity institutions that provide almost free and good treatment.

"If according to this applicant/accused, his elder daughter is an ophthalmological officer with the Telangana government, through her contacts and/or financial support, dental treatment for the accused can be arranged over here, that is in Mumbai itself," the special court said.

Rao was arrested on August 28, 2018 from his Hyderabad residence and is an under-trial in the case.

The Supreme Court had in August 2022 granted medical bail to the activist.

Among others, the bail conditions mandate Rao to reside within the area of greater Mumbai and not leave the city without the prior permission of the NIA court.

The accused sought the court's permission for traveling to Hyderabad for his dental operation and had placed medical papers on record in support of his plea.

The NIA, however, pleaded for rejection of his plea, saying that though Rao is 85 years old, two months is a long period for the treatment.

Medical treatment from well-known doctors is available in Mumbai as well and medical papers attached alongwith are not that much satisfactory, it said.

Finding merits in the prosecution's argument, the court held that "no sufficient and satisfactory ground is contended" in Rao's plea to grant him concession.

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.

The Pune police had also claimed the conclave was organised by people with alleged Maoist links.

An FIR was lodged by the Pune Police on January 8, 2018 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) later took over the probe in the matter. PTI AVI NP