In a significant development, researcher Rona Wilson and activist Sudhir Dhawale, embroiled in the contentious Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, were released from Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai on Friday. Their release, occurring at approximately 1:30 PM, followed the completion of bail formalities at the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, more than six years after their initial arrest in 2018.
The Bombay High Court granted bail to both Wilson and Dhawale on January 8, acknowledging the protracted pre-trial period they have endured and the slow progress of the case proceedings. The court highlighted that since their arrest, even the charges had not been formally framed and pointed out the extensive list of over 300 witnesses, which suggested a trial conclusion was not foreseeable in the near future.
The Elgar Parishad case, invoking the stringent anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), traces back to an event held on December 31, 2017, in Pune. The event allegedly featured provocative speeches that precipitated violence the following day in Koregaon-Bhima, just outside Pune. Initially handled by Pune police, who claimed Maoist backing for the conclave, the investigation was later transferred to the NIA.
Wilson and Dhawale’s release marks a partial closure to their long-standing legal ordeal but underscores ongoing concerns surrounding the application of UAPA and the pace of judicial processes in complex cases. In total, 16 activists and academicians were arrested in connection with the case, with eight, including notable figures such as Varavara Rao, Sudha Bharadwaj, and Anand Teltumbde, having been granted bail.
However, Mahesh Raut remains incarcerated, pending a Supreme Court decision on an NIA appeal against his bail. The case also saw the tragic demise of Jesuit priest and co-accused Stan Swamy in 2021 while he was still in judicial custody.
