NIA gets two weeks to reply on pleas of Bharadwaj, Navlakha seeking clone copies of all seized devices

Bharadwaj, Navlakha and some other co-accused in the case had sought clone copies of the electronic devices before framing of charges.

The Bombay High Court on Friday granted two weeks’ time to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to file its reply on the petitions of activists Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha, both accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, seeking clone copies of all the electronic devices seized from them by the Central agency. Bharadwaj and Navlakha had approached the High Court last month seeking such copies. On August 20, the High Court had directed the NIA to file its reply over it. On Friday, however, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh told a Bench of Justices S. S. Shinde and N. J. Jamadar that the NIA’s reply was “almost ready” and sought an additional two weeks’ time to file it.