Elgar case: Activist Anand Teltumbde files fresh bail plea

Academician and activist AnandTeltumbde, arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case,on Tuesday moved a fresh bail plea before a special NationalInvestigation Agency (NIA) court here, his lawyer said.

As per his lawyer, Teltumbde has sought bailon meritsof the case.

The matter has been kept for hearing on January 27 bythe NIA court, the lawyer added.

The court had in July refused to grant ''default'' bailto Teltumbde (70), who is in jail for nearly nine months now.

He had sought bail under section 167 (2) of the Codeof Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on July 13 after the NIA failedto file a charge-sheet against him within 90 days as mandatedunder the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The CrPC section provides for bail on default if acharge-sheet is not filed within 90 days from the date offirst remand.

Teltumbde was arrested by the NIA on April 14, 2020,after he surrendered on the Supreme Court's direction.

Teltumbde and several other activists have been bookedunder stringent provisions of the UAPA for allegedly havinglinks with Maoists and conspiring to overthrow the government.

They were initially booked by the Pune police afterviolence erupted near Koregaon-Bhima, on outskirts of Punecity, a day after an Elgar Parishad conclave was organised.

Inflammatory speeches and provocative statements madeat the Elgar Parishad meet held in Pune on December 31, 2017,triggered the violence at Koregaon-Bhima the next day, thepolice had alleged.

According to the police, the event was ''backed'' byMaoists.

The NIA later took over the probe into the case.

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