The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing of the bail plea for advocate Surendra Gadling, who is linked to the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case, to next week. This adjournment came as the additional solicitor general Raja Thakare, representing the Maharashtra government, was not available to attend the proceedings.
The bench, composed of Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal, has rescheduled the matter following a request by senior advocate Anand Grover, representing Gadling, to prioritize the hearing. Previously, on October 10, 2023, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to the state government seeking a response to Gadling’s petition within four weeks.
Gadling, an advocate by profession, has been accused of aiding Maoist rebels and conspiring with other accused, some of whom remain absconding. These charges stem from an incident on December 25, 2016, when Maoist rebels reportedly set fire to 76 vehicles involved in transporting iron ore from the Surjagarh mines in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district.
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, on January 31, 2023, denied bail to Gadling, stating that the allegations against him were prima facie true. He faces multiple charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Indian Penal Code. The prosecution alleges that Gadling provided secret information and maps to underground Maoist groups and encouraged opposition to the mining operations at Surjagarh, besides inciting locals to join the Maoist movement.
Additionally, Gadling is implicated in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case concerning alleged provocative speeches at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017. These speeches purportedly incited violence the following day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.
