Court lays down stringent conditions for Sudha Bharadwaj's bail

Sudha Bharadwaj will walk out of jail today. Pic/AFP

The Special NIA court on Wednesday set conditions for bail for activist and lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, who was arrested in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence in 2018. She was granted bail by the Bombay HC last week and NIA moved the apex court challenging it. The SC upheld the Bombay HC's order. Bharadwaj will be released from Byculla jail today post bail formalities.

The special NIA court has set stringent bail conditions that she cannot travel out of Mumbai without its permission and has dismissed her plea for lenient conditions. The court has also said she should not make any comment regarding the case in the media.

Some of the conditions

The court had directed that she be released on a bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties. The court has set some other stringent conditions similar to those set for co-accused Varavara Rao who was granted bail on medical grounds. As per the court's order she is to reside within its jurisdiction. She should not leave the jurisdiction of the special NIA court in Mumbai without its permission. She should inform the court and the NIA immediately about her place of residence within the jurisdiction, and her contact numbers, as also those of her relatives residing with her.

The court has told Bharadwaj to not contact the co-accused or any person involved directly or indirectly in similar activities. Pic/PTI

She is to attend the proceedings of trial before the court and see that the trial is not protracted due to her absence. She is to report to the nearest police station through WhatsApp video call fortnightly.

The court has also directed her to not make any statement regarding the proceedings which are pending before it in any form of media i.e. print media, electronic media, social media, etc. The court order also states that she shall not indulge in any activity similar to the activities on the basis of which the present FIR stood registered against her for offenses under the IPC and UAPA.

Can't contact co-accused

She should also not contact the co-accused or any other person involved directly or indirectly in similar activities. The court has also directed her to not personally or through anyone make any attempt to influence prosecution witnesses or tamper with the evidence.

The court has also stated that there will not be any gathering of visitors, other than near relatives, where she will reside, within its jurisdiction. She has been asked to surrender her passport.

The case related to the Koregaon-Bhima case was first investigated by the Pune police when the BJP and Shiv Sena were in power. When the MVA government came to power, the NIA took over the probe and 16 activists and academicians were arrested in the case.

Bharadwaj is first amongst the arrested accused to be released on bail. But poet-activist Varavara Rao is out on medical bail. Jesuit priest Stan Swamy recently died in a private hospital in the city while waiting for medical bail.

Rs 50k
Bond she had to pay