Elgar Parishad case: court allows accused to use laptop in jail

Mumbai, Aug 26 (PTI) A court here has permitted an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case to use a laptop in jail, noting that the case papers are voluminous.

Special NIA Judge C S Baviskar, in an order passed on Monday, said it would not be possible for applicant Sagar Gorkhe to carry their hard copies and read them in prison.

Gorkhe had filed an application seeking permission to use a laptop.

The National Investigation Agency did not oppose his plea, noting that another accused, Mahesh Raut, was granted the same permission in earlier.

The court in its order noted that the jail authorities did not file any response to Gorkhe's application.

"Axiomatically, record of this case is voluminous. It is next to impossible to carry each and every hard copy of the case papers in the prison and read it," the order said, adding that it would be easier for the applicant to use his laptop and study his own case as he wishes.

Gorkhe can have his laptop in his cell but it shall contain only the case papers and no other data, the court said.

The NIA shall check it and delete all content, format it completely, and upload only the documents pertaining to the case, the court directed.

Gorkhe and several other activists have been arrested by the NIA for allegedly being members of the banned CPI (Maoist) group.

The case is related to alleged inflammatory speeches made at `Elgar Parishad' in Pune on December 31, 2017. The city police claimed that the conclave was backed by the Maoists, and the speeches incited violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial. PTI SP KRK