A special NIA court in Mumbai has refused permission to Elgar Parishad case accused Hany Babu to travel to Kerala for two months to celebrate Eid with his elderly mother, holding that the application was “mischievous” and in violation of bail conditions imposed by the Bombay High Court.
The order was passed on Wednesday by Special NIA Judge Chakor Baviskar, who noted that Babu had filed a similar request just a month earlier, which had already been rejected. The court said allowing the plea would effectively amount to disregarding the High Court’s directions.
Hany Babu was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in December 2025 after spending over five years in custody without trial. However, the relief came with strict conditions, including that he must reside within Greater Mumbai and cannot leave the city without prior permission of the NIA court.
Taking note of these conditions, the special court observed that Babu appeared to have treated the High Court’s order “too lightly and casually” by repeatedly seeking permission on similar grounds.
The court rejected Babu’s request to visit Kerala for Eid celebrations and medical follow-up, stating that neither ground justified relaxation of the bail conditions.
It pointed out that Babu had already been permitted to travel to Kerala recently for gall bladder surgery and had stayed with his mother during that period. In this context, the court said the reasons cited in the fresh plea were “not of much significance now.”
On the medical aspect, the court noted that all post-operative reports were normal and that Babu was in good health. It added that if any further check-ups were required, they could be carried out in Mumbai itself.
The judge also remarked that Mumbai has “world class medical facilities” across private, charitable, municipal, and government hospitals, making travel to Kerala unnecessary for routine follow-ups.
Addressing Babu’s request to spend time with his elderly mother, the court suggested that if he wished to stay with her for a longer duration, he should consider relocating her to Mumbai instead.
The court expressed strong disapproval over the filing of a similar application despite a reasoned order being passed in February.
“This is certainly wasting the time of this court,” Judge Baviskar observed, adding that granting such permission would amount to flouting the High Court’s conditions. He reiterated that the trial court cannot go beyond the terms imposed by the High Court, particularly those relating to attendance before the NIA.
For this reason, the court concluded that the plea was “mischievous” and not maintainable.
The case stems from alleged inflammatory speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017. According to the police, the event triggered violence the following day near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial.
An FIR was registered on January 8, 2018 under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), with authorities alleging Maoist links behind the event’s organisation.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) later took over the investigation and continues to prosecute the case.
