Lawyer urges High Court to release Varavara Rao on bail, claims he's critical of COVID-19

Telugu poet and activist P Varavara Rao’s lawyer Sudeep Pasbola on Monday urged Bombay high court to consider his plea for bail stating the 81-year-old was in a “critical condition” in hospital.

The Court directed the state and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to submit a status report on Rao’s health condition. Rao, who has been arrested in the Elgar Parishad case for alleged Maoist links, is currently undergoing treatment at Nanavati Hospital after he contracted Covid-19 in jail. He is seeking interim bail on health grounds.

Following news that Rao had suffered a head injury during his time at JJ Hospital, his family has issued a statement seeking transparency and official information on his health. The family said they were unaware about his head injury or that he was being shifted from one hospital to another as well as his deteriorating health condition.

They have sought daily updates and permission to attend to him since he is reportedly incapacitated. The statement issued by the family seeks “immediate direction to the hospital administration or prison administration to provide transparent, official updates on Varavara Rao’s health status and line of treatment on a regular basis once or twice a day as long as he is in hospital.”

Additional solicitor general Anil Singh, for NIA, said Rao was in one of the best super-speciality hospitals in Mumbai and was getting the “best treatment”. On his lawyer’s plea seeking permission for the family to be allowed to meet him, the court sought

NIA’s response on whether family members could see him at least.

The HC also issued notices to the NIA and state on a fresh petition filed by two other activists and accused in the case, Vernon Gonsalves, 61, and Anand Teltumbde, 68. Both have sought permission to be tested for Covid-19 as they had come in close contact with Rao in Taloja Central Prison where they have been incarcerated. Gonsalves had been assigned duties as Rao’s aid.

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