Bombay HC dismisses Gautam Navlakha’s plea seeking transfer to house arrest

Gautam Navlakha is an accused in Bhima Koregaon caste violence case

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea by activist and journalist Gautam Navlakha seeking his transfer to house arrest from the Taloja Central Jail.

A Division Bench of Justices S.B. Shukre and G.A. Sanap was hearing a plea by Mr. Navlakha, 70, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case.

He is seeking house arrest on the grounds of his ill-health and “poor sanitation conditions” in the jail. He has been lodged in the ‘anda’ cell (solitary confinement), where he is allowed a walk in the open space for half an hour and has to clean it.

The court reserved the judgment on April 5 and passed an order on Tuesday by saying, "The petitioner [Mr. Navlakha] would be at liberty to bring to the attention of the presiding officer of special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court the grievances in respect of difficulties faced by him and the said officer directed to ensure grievance redressed within parameters of law.” It directed the jail superintendent to ensure that medical facilities were provided to the petitioner.

The court had informed that he was denied a book written by famous author and humorist P.G. Wodehouse due to "security risk." The Maharashtra government had said it was during COVID-19 that precautions were taken by the prison authorities and hence the book was denied.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, representing the NIA which is probing the case, pointed out that Mr. Navlakha’s bail application on merits was pending before the sessions court. Moreover, his medical bail had also been rejected. This was the fourth application indirectly for bail or his release. Mr. Singh contended that if this application was allowed, the High Court would be flooded with such requests. “We will need guards to work in shifts.. it is not possible for every jail inmate.”