Elgar Parishad Case: Activist Ramesh Gaichor Released On Temporary Bail After HC Rebukes Taloja Jail Authorities

Mumbai: After a rap from the Bombay High Court, jail authorities released activist Ramesh Gaichor, accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, late last night pursuant to the temporary bail granted to him.

Jail Authorities Delay Release

Despite the HC granting him temporary bail for three days, the Taloja jail authorities refused to release him without a release warrant from the magistrate's court. Irked, the HC had called for an explanation from the jail authorities, which tendered an unconditional apology on Thursday, and informed that he was released from prison at 11pm, Wednesday.

Temporary Bail Details

On August 26, the HC had granted three-day temporary bail – from September 9 to 11 – to Gaichor to visit his ailing father. The jail superintendent also submitted an affidavit, tendering an unconditional apology for not complying with the HC order, which delayed the activist's release.

Counsel’s Plea

Gaichor's counsel Mihir Desai had moved an application on Wednesday claiming that despite the HC order, he was not released as the jail authorities insisted on a release warrant from the trial court.

HC Criticises Authorities

A bench of Justice Ajey Gadkari and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale, on Wednesday, came down heavily on the jail authorities for not complying with the court order and orally remarked that the authorities were just harassing the accused.

Affidavit Submission and Bail Extension

On Thursday, additional public prosecutor Madhvi Mhatre submitted an affidavit by the jail superintendent tendering an unconditional apology. The affidavit said Gaichor was released from jail on Wednesday night at 11 pm.

The court accepted the affidavit, and modified its earlier order and granted Gaichor temporary bail till September 13. While granting temporary bail to Gaichor last month, the HC noted he had not met his 76-year-old father since his arrest in September 2020.

Previous Bail Plea

Gaichor moved the high court earlier this month after a special court rejected his plea seeking interim bail for two weeks to attend to his father. The special court had rejected the bail plea noting that Gaichor senior was suffering from age-related ailments common among senior citizens.

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Case Background

According to the prosecution, Gaichor was a member of the banned CPI (Maoist) group. He and others were arrested after inflammatory speeches were allegedly delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017, which police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the city.

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