On Thursday, the Apex Court turned down activist & UAPA accused Sudha Bharadwaj’s petition of interim bail on medical grounds.
A bench of Justice U U Lalit & Justice Ajay Rastogi told Lawyer Vrinda Grover, who appeared for Bharadwaj, that since the petition was on medical grounds alone, the Court won't be able to entertain it as the medical report did not back her claims.
While allowing Grover to withdraw the plea, the Court added that Bhardwaj has a “good case on merits” & should contest on those grounds.
Bharadwaj had approached the Top Court against the High Court of Bombay order dismissing her plea for interim bail on medical grounds. Earlier, the Special
NIA Court too had denied the relief to her.
Grover told the bench that Bharadwaj, who is 58 years old, has been in custody for the last two years & is diabetic.
The bench then asked for her medical report & pointed out that it indicated her sugar levels were normal.
Grover said Bharadwaj had developed heart disease & that while she is being given medicines, a full cardiac profile was needed. Grover added that since charges were yet to be framed, Bharadwaj would be back after the necessary medical check-up.
The bench then sought to know what the charge was, to which the counsel replied that it was one of criminal conspiracy & that Bharadwaj is a lawyer & nothing was recovered from her phone. The Court asked Grover why Bharadwaj was not filing for regular bail, to which Grover said that a plea is pending before the HC.
Bharadwaj was arrested in connection with the investigation into the Jan 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence.
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