The Bombay High Court on September 3 rapped the Maharashtra Police for holding a press conference and elaborating on the evidence against activists arrested in connection with the recent Bhima-Koregaon violence.
The HC questioned the police for holding media briefing while the matter is sub-judice.
HC criticized the cops for disclosing details of the matter, even after the police themselves had sought strict confidentiality in the proceedings.
Justice Bhatkar said, “How can the police do this? The matter is sub-judice. The Supreme Court is seized of the matter. In such cases, revealing information pertaining to the case is wrong.”
The HC was hearing a petition filed by the alleged victim of the Bhima Koregaon violence, Satish Gaikwad. He wants the case to be handed over to the National Investigative Agency.
Gaikwad added that the police on one hand want an in camera hearing while on the other are reading out evidence in the form of the activists’ letters in public.
The Maharashtra Police on August 28 arrested 6 activists, including, poet and Maoist ideologue Varavara Rao, lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, activists Arun Fereira, Gautam Navlakha and Vernon Gonsalves, claiming they had links to the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist).
They all are under house arrest on the orders of the Supreme Court till September 6.
The HC, however, adjourned the hearing for September 7, after it was pointed out that copies of the petition were not served to all concerned parties.
